2
Friday, November 16, 1979
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Purely Commentary
The Iranian Outrage: When the Civilized World
Is Confronted With the Maniacal and Terrorists
• Are Allowed to Assume A New Role of Arrogance
By Philip
Slomovitz
The Villainy in Iran, the Tragedy That Demands Action Against Uncivilized Savages
believe that every Member of Congress would join me in condemning the
Was the Iranian horror plotted as another weapon against Israel? .
actions taken against our diplomats and in demanding their immediate
As far as the Iranians are concerned, it is not Khomeini who is the evil-doer but
release. I urge your government to end this appalling breach of civilized
Henry Kissinger. His name was drawn in by Iran's embassy officials in Washington. The
behavior.
American diplomats held as hostages were equated with Adolf Eichmann. The PLO
Entebbe was mentioned time and again, but there can be no repetition of it on
sought and gained a measure of credibility.
crowded Teheran streets.
Should the PLO have been called upon to act as intermediaries? There is an old'
Eveh worse is the threat of another war. And the irony is soaked in oil.
Yiddishism:
Perhaps there is a lesson in all of this: that the U.S. must strive for self-sufficien
"Az men darf dem ganef nemt men ihm arop fun der t'liya."
that Congress must stop dilly-dallying, that a nation like ours is criminal when i.
"If you need the services of the thief you remove him from the gallows."
submits to dependence, whether it is oil or the loss of voice in international affairs.
This is applicable to the shtetel, to the East European Jewish village where satire
Many are the lessons in this tragic occurrence.
flirted with humor, where the t'liya was a non-existent symbolism and where the ganef
What has happened to America's many diplomatic colleagues who do not hesitate to
and
a
mere
tease.
But
in
the
present
instance
the
world
must
reckon
with
was a shlemihl
ask
for
U.S. help when they need it but forget Uncle Sam in time of crisis?
a ruler who is called a maniac by Egypt's Sadat and whose hands are as bloodstained as
Each for himself appears to be the motto in England, France, the Scandinavian
were, in the repeated accusations, the Shah's. That is why the New York Times edito-
countries, Europeans, Asians, Africans, who should have formed a solid front isolating
rially, on Nov. 9, commented:
•
Islamic-ruled Iran, at its apparent wish, from civilized society!
Delay, then, is a prudent course if it can be used to obtain the release of
By
common
admission,
Iran's
neighbors
are
terrorized
by
the
Khomeini
action.
Must
the captives without revivifying the Ayatollah's gasping regime. But that
the outside world step in to solve their problems? But they become unified when Israel is
delay and those efforts should not be allowed to confuse the other interests
the target and this is also becoming apparent that Israel may be made a chief target and
that the United States is determined to protect. The Iranian authorities
will remain so for a long time to come.
should have been on clearer notice all week that they will be deemed
The tragedy is universal. Whence cometh help?
responsible for the fate of all Americans in their country. And the world
needs to understand that American and other emissaries will discuss, but
The Bias That Spreads to the U.S.
not bargain for, the release of the hostages.
The hatred that was transplanted from Iran to this country has amazed Americans.
If the Palestine Liberation Organization, for example, wants to improve
Any wonder that many demonstrated as a counter-protest to the anti-American senti-
its reputation among Americans by arranging an evacuation, that is one
ments that were expressed by Iranians in support of Khomeini and his cohorts?
thing. Butif the PLO were to replace' the Ayatollah as ransom collector by
The anti-American actions, in Teheran and wherever Iranians have been able to
demanding official recognition in exchange for its help, that is quite an-
vent their venom, has evidence of an-anti-Israel link. It was expressed in a circular that
other matter.
was distributed in the name fo the Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Even this much speculation can cause damage in such a volatile situa-
headquartered in Chicago. It reached this columnist from an anonymous source, in an
tion. But this episode promises to trigger a heated debate about America's
Arabic text, with the following English translation:
standing in the world. The nation's purpose ought to be clear even before it
Our regards and best wishes to all Moslems of the world.
knows whether its tactics were right.
Dear Moslem Brothers and Sisters,
A campaign for credibility for the PLO is among the dangers for mankind that stems
In every part of the world that you are living, defend yourself against
from the newly developed villainy. Only time can possibly resolve the emanating horror.
our
enemies, the U.S.A. and Zionism. Be aware that all spiritual and finan-
_ There is one encouraging note: newspapers and diplomats in Arab countries were
cial material of our country is being robbed by East and Western countries
more outspoken in condemnation of the Iranian students' barbarism than those in
and their U.S.A. leaders. They are suffocating and paralyzing us in econom-
Western countries.
ics,
knowledge and military. WAKE UP — Today the most important
Any wonder that Congressman William Brodhead, responding to an invitation from
spiritually holy shrine, the Holy City of Moslem, has been arrested by Israel,
the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, should have responded with this criticism:
cancer of the Middle East. Today our Arab brothers are being killed by the
Thank you very much for your invitation to attend the photo exhibition
Jewish. Today, every Jewisl-like evil is being used to solicite (sic) and
at your embassy on Nov. 9. Under normal circumstances I would welcome
separate the Moslem people. It is the obligation of every Moslem to resist
this occasion as an opportunity to improve the damaged relations between
and fight against the U.S.A. and Zionism and remove Zionism from this
our two nations. However, because of the outrageous violation of our em-
world.
bassy in Iran and the kidnap of our diplomats, your invitation is little short
The first thought, in addition to the deep concern for the hostages held by the
of ridiculous.
Iranians
who have been described without proof as "students" is for the 60,000 to 70,000
Your government's apparent acquiescence, even encouragement, of
Jews in Iran. Their fate is uncertain. But there also are many thousands of foreigners in
these criminal actions has broken a tradition of may centuries among
Iran whose fate is uncertain. The Jews of Iran have lived in that land
longer than the
. .
civilized nations that diplomats are always protected by the host country.
natives,
yet
their
position
is
precarious.
Even when nations have been at war, the lives of diplomats and embassy
The situation is grave and tragic. President Carter and all in responsible positions
workers have been held sacred.
who
are confronted with the issue may well repeat: When cometh help?
Under these circumstances, your invitation is insulting, and I reject it. I
In Defense of Cambodians:
guarantees that the sacred nature and the univer-
Jerusalem: Kennedy, Joe Clark,
sal significance of Jerusalem be respected by all.
Preventing Another Holocaust
Oestrreicher, John Paul II
I, for one, think that all we need is the good will of
No more Holocausts!
the Israeli parliament and government, which
U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy added sensation to his
This must be the motto for all sane people.
have
already
proven
their
trustworthiness.
political ideology with a letter to Israel Prime Minister
It is appropriate that leadership in actions in defense
Still, there is no harm in a declaration by the
Menahem Begin in which, inter alia, he went on record in
and support of the suffering Cambodians should be taken
community
of
nations
that
Jerusalem
is
unique.
support of an undivided Jerusalem.
by the survivors from the Nazi death camps.
In any case. Israel's ambassador to the United
, How does this equate with the plank in the platform of
The occurrences in Cambodia, the suffering children,
Nations, Yehuda Blum, seemed to be unperturbed
Joe Clark when he was the candidate for the premiership of
the helpless men and women, are crying for help. It is
by
the
Pope's
plea.
He
assured
him
that
the
state
Canada?
forthcoming in the demonstrative actions of Jews who keep
of Israel is fully conscious of the fact that
Clark's pledge has already been broken, and the posi-
repeating "Never Again!"
Jerusalem is of deep spiritual significance" to
tion he took in his political campaign has been betrayed.
The lessons of the Holocaust now are the mottoes for
adherents
of
faiths
other
than
the
Jewish
one,
and
Would Kennedy be able to live up to his pledge, in the
justice.
that
it
is
committed
to
guaranteeing
the
inviolabil-
message to Begin, if he were elected President?
Those who know suffering and have been the witnesses
ity of and unlimited access to all of Jerusalem's
Let is be remembered that such a pledge was included
of the inhumanity of man to man now lead in tasks in
shrines
in
a
manner
"unprecedented
in
the
city's
in the Democratic Party platform of 1976. It is not adhered
defense of the maligned, persecuted, disinherited. It is to
history."
to. The Hon. Gerald Ford, as a Michigan Congressman and
the credit of Jewish survivors from the Holocaust that they
What
Pope
John
Paul
said
at
the
United
Na-
staunch Christian Zionist, advocated recognition of
led in the struggle for decency.
lions,
he
also
said
when
he
received
the
Jewish
Jerusalem by the U.S. as the capital of Israel. He was
members of the International Catholic-Jewish
helpless in making it a reality as President.
The Battle Against the KKK
Liaison Committee on March 12:
There has been some doubt a _ s to the attitude of Pope
"I intend to do everything in my power for the
John Paul II on the question of Israel's sovereignty and
a nd the Lesson of Skokie
peace of that land which is holy for you as it is for
struggle for security as well as his position on Jerusalem. In
Re-emergence of the Ku Klux Klan as a cancer in
us, with the hope that the city of Jerusalem will be
a statement published in the New York Times, Msgr. John
American society is a shameful occurrence.
effectively
guaranteed
as
a
center
of
harmony
for
M. Oesterreicher of Seton Hall University, clarified the
KKK's growth in recent months is so shockingly evi-
the followers of . . . Judaism, Islam and Chris-
Vatican position, as follows:
dent that it calls for firm action to prevent it from showing
tianity."
It
should
be
noted
that
Pope
John
Paul's
In an Oct. 25 letter, Rabbi Listfield laments the
itself anywhere on this continent.
plea implies that the Holy City remains undi-
silence over the destruction of synagogues and
Those who would have permitted Nazi parades in
vided.
schools and the desecration of the Mount of Olives
Skokie, Ill., now have a new lesson for their ultra-
Jerusalem
is
at
one
and
the
same
time
a
Jewish
cemetery by the Jordanian army. He is right. It is
liberalism: barbarians have no place in this society and
and an ecumenical city. We will all have to learn
a disgrace that no one in the Christian world — be
should not be permitted to show themselves in public. The
that
particularity
and
universality
do
not
oppose
he priest or journalist — seems to have been
American Civil Liberties Union blundered in Skokie.
but
complement
each
other.
aware of the Jordanian policy of making Old
Would it now advocate freedoms for the KKK? There is a
Let
me
express
the
hope
that
the
Jerusalem
of
Jerusalem judenrein. A strange kind of blindness
limit to giving the slightest recognition to bestialities in
the future will be one and free, Jewish and yet
has befallen those whose eyes are wide open to
the name of free speech or freedom of activity.
without
barriers
for
all
the
children
of
Abraham;
the wrongs done by Jews but whose eyes quickly
The KKK, Nazis and their like must be outlawed.
worshipers of the living God. Let it indeed remain
close when they ought to see wrongs against
There is no room for them in human ranks. There is a lesson
open to anyone who wishes to visit the land that
Jews.
here for those who contribute towards splintering black-
bears His footprints.
Rabbi Listfield also complains about the Pope's
There is never the certainty and total assurance of Jewish ranks. The need is for solidarity against the racist
"call for the internationalization of Jerusalem."
legitimacy of pledges from any source. But the expressed KKK and their ilk, for unity in behalf of the oppressed,
In this the rabbi is mistaken. What the pope asked
interest, no matter where from, is valuable. Perhaps the socially, politically and economically. Divergence from
for was not an internationally governed city but
absolute urgency of assuring the capital-status of such objectives is damaging to American and human
one open to Jewish, Christian and Moslem wor-
Jerusalem
will be resolved very soon. idealism.
shipers alike. He pleaded for international