A Nobel Prize
for War Hero
Raoul Wallenberg
AIPAC's Superb
Political Guide
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review
Editorials, Page 4
VOL. LXXVII, No. 8
f Jewish Events
17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075
424-8833
WSU President
Thomas Bonner's
Peace
Anniversary
Evaluation of
Israel's Progress
Text on Page 64
$15 Per Year: This Issue 35c
April 25, 1980
continuing Lebanese Warfare
Incites Ireland Against Israel
Pope's Support Asked
on Peace, Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel is bracing itself to withstand an expected bout of diplomatic pressure
over recent violent incidents between Major Saad Haddad's Christian militia and allied Shiite villagers in
south Lebanon and the forces of UNIFIL, especially the Irish contingent to the UN force.
The Irish government under Prime Minister Haughey has already launched a diplomatic initiative on
three fronts designed to bring Israel to loosen its ties with the Haddad militia, which Ireland holds
responsible for the murder of two of its soldiers by Shiite villagers last Friday.
Israel has made it clear to the Irish government and to others that it does not propose to weaken its
support for Haddad, whom it considers both a security asset — in that his border strip is a bar to PLO
infiltrators—and because of Israel's long-standing commitment to the Christians of Lebanon to prevent
their destruction by the Syrians, the PLO or the indigenous Moslem majority.
Premier Begin made these points at the Cabinet Tuesday when he reported to the ministers
on his meeting Sunday night with Irish Ambassador Sean Ronan. Ronan had conveyed to Begin
the "deep personal concern" of Ireland's premier and demanded that Israel take action to
restrain Haddad's men.
Begin told the Cabinet that he had promised Ronan Israel would "do its best" to influence Haddad.
But we cannot give him orders," the premier noted.
Begin said he had also explained to the Irish envoy the nature of the "blood feud" tradition under which
the Shiites, who lost a teenage boy to Irish gunfire two weeks earlier, saw themselves bound to hit back at
the Irish batallion until a "sulha" was arranged.
Ambassador Ronan himself told newsmen
that he does not accept the distinction which
Begin and other Israeli policymakers make be-
tween Haddad's militia and the Shiite villagers.
Basing himself on UNIFIL intelligence
reports,
Ronan asserted that Haddad had
TEL AVIV (JTA) — A "human time bomb" was pre-
demanded
— with threats — of the Shiite
vented from boarding an El Al Boeing 707 jet at Zurich
villagers
that
they wreak bloody retribu-
Airport on Monday.
tion upon the Irish unit for the death of the
The incident was intended to coincide with Israel's
youth. Otherwise, Haddad had threatened
observance of the 32nd anniversary of its independence. A
(according to UNIFIL and Ronan) he would
26-year-old West German showed signs of nervousness
when he approached the El Al check-in counter prior to
shell the Shiite village of a-Tiri where the
boarding Flight 346 to Tel Aviv. The young man was sub-
violence originated.
jected to a thorough check including an x-ray which showed
Haddad himself denies this version and
a bomb and detonator taped to his body. The detonator was
claims that he has little influence over the
attached to an altimeter which would have caused the
Shiites once their blood is up. He insists that the
bomb to explode when the plane reached a certain altitude.
Irish troops acted provocatively and that, in
Swiss police said the man's identity could not be im-
view of recent Irish government statements
mediately established because his passport was a forged
favoring the PLO, the Irish contingent should
one. He claimed that he had no idea he was carrying a
be withdrawn from UNIFIL altogether.
bomb. He said he thought the parcel attached to his body
A 'Human Bomb'
Caught by El Al
Shown at an April 16 audience at the Vatican with
Pope John Paul II are, center, Howard M. Squadron,
president, and Henry Siegman, executive director, of
the American Jewish Congress. Squadron urged the
Pontiff to express strong support for the Camp David
accords and stressed the importance of a unified
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, "with free access to
all faiths." The American Jewish Congress leader also
conveyed the Jewish people's unity with Israel as an
"essential dimension of understanding and dialogue
between the two faiths." Squadron and Siegman led a
delegation of American Jewish Congress leaders on a
mission that included visits with government officials
in Jerusalem and Cairo prior to their arrival in Rome.
contained diamonds he had agreed to smuggle into Israel.
'80 Refugee Act Vitally Affects
Procedures for U.S. Immigrants
By GARY RUBIN
(Editor's note: Gary Rubin is a program specialist with the Institute on
Pluralism and Group Identity of the American Jewish Committee.)
EW YORK — The Refugee Act of 1980, passed by Congress and signed into law by
esident on March 17, represents a major victory for advocates of a more open and
re6 (liar policy for admitting people fleeing for their lives from oppressive governments
into the United States. The American Jewish Committee joined with other civic, relig-
ious and ethnic groups in forming the coalition that supported this legislation. The bill is
:st major revision of our immigration statutes since 1965, and will profoundly alter
t}
ican policy on this issue.
A
The purpose of the act is stated clearly in its preamble. It declares that, It is the
historic policy of the United States to respond to the urgent needs of persons subject to
persecution in their homelands." It then goes on to describe the activities that the country
must undertake to realize this commitment, including humanitarian assistance to
asylum areas, efforts to promote resettlement, aid in transportation and processing,
admission of refugees to the United States and transitional service to newcomers. At a
time when repression is rife in many parts of the world and the flow of refugees shows no
sign of abatement, this constitutes a statement of major significance.
One key provision of the act changes the definition of refugee in U.S. law.
Previously, only people from Communist countries or the Middle East could
qualify as refugees. The bill extends this scope to include any person outside his
or her nation who would face political persecution upon return. This comports
with the United Nations definition and opens the possibility of haven to those
repressed by rightist regimes or persecuted people who live in any part of the
(Continued on Page 10) '
(Continued on Page 6)
UJA Chairman Will Address
AJC-IEF's Closing Reception
Several hundred leaders and workers for the 1980 Allied Jewish Campaign - Israel
Emergency Fund will celebrate the formal closing of the Campaign at a reception 8 p.m.
May 6 at the main Jewish Community Center.
Campaign General Chairmen David Handleman and Irving R. Seligman will
preside at the gathering, at which division chairmen will report on the totals raised by
their workers since the Campaign officially opened.
Herschel W. Blumberg, 1981 national chairman of the
United Jewish Appeal, will address the gathering.
Blumberg began serving in a national Jewish
leadership capacity in 1963 as a founding member of
the UJA Young Leadership Cabinet. Following serv-
ice on the UJA Executive Committee and the UJA
National Campaign Cabinet, he was named a national
vice chairman in 1977. He also serves on the board of
trustees of the United Israel Appeal, UJA's major
constituent agency.
In a continuing effort to reach all contributors, volun-
teers from all divisions will participate in a telethon during
the evenings of May 1-5.
Reservations are required for the closing reception. For
information, call the Jewish Welfare Federation, 965-3939.
The second and final progress report meeting before the
closing reception will take place 9:45 Sunday at Cong. Bnai
David.
HERSCHEL BLUMBERG
(Continued on Page 5)