2 Friday, May 15, 1981
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Purely Commentary
The Francois Mitterand Victory and the West German
Chancellor's Flirting With Saudis Echo Political
Stirrings ... President Navon Rejects Goldmann Role
An Hydroelectric Miracle:
The Canal From Gaza to Masada
The Schmidt Condemnation
Is Much More Than an Episode
Menahem Begin used sharp word- about West Ger-
many's Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. It has irritated many
people. There are Jews in the Diaspora and Israelis who
believe he was too extreme in his accusations. Schmidt
previously defended himself when charged with guilt of
Nazi collaboration during World War II.
Granted that Begin could have been a bit reserved in
his condemnation of Schmidt's PLO endorsement, the fact
is that what had occurred was much more than an episode.
It was the result :of German flirtations with Israel's
enemies, with offers of military aid to Saudi Arabia, with
gestures of support for "Palestinians" without segregating
them from PLOist anti-Israel activists.
The trend in Germany under the Schmidt leadership
was and continues to be a cause for great concern. Thus, in
an article in the New Leader, Eliahu Salpeter, the promi-
nent Israeli correspondent, made this comment about the
German indifference to the past:
Because no one could have any doubt against
whom the Saudis intended to ultimately deploy
the tanks, the very idea that just a generation
after the Holocaust the Germans are willing to
consider furnishing weapons to kill the survivors
and the children of the victims of Auschwitz ap-
pears particularly revolting .
Three factors appear to account for this change
in attitude: Germany has begun to feel much less
guilty about the crimes perpetrated in its name 40
years ago; the "economic miracle" has come to an
end, leaving German leaders in constant fear of
recession; and, as a result, the value of moral re-
straint has gone down as the value of petrodollars
has gone up .
Israeli commentators feel that there are two
basic reasons for West Germany's desire to strike
a deal with the Saudis. First, the Germans are
influenced by a general . Western European desire
to appease the Arabs, born of,economic and social
problems induced by exorbitant OPEC oil prices.
Second, small but very influential seetors of Ger-
man industry look forward to profiting from arms
commerce with the Arab states. The worry here,
in the light of the Reagan Administration's handl-
ing of the Saudi military equipment request, is
that Bonn may now find at least tacit support in
Washington for its evolving Middle East military
sales campaign.
This is an accusation in tempered words, but it cer-
tainly equates the Begin anger.
While Germans deny that the neo-Nazi resurgence is
of any significance, the fact is that it is in evidence. It may
be felt more abroad than in Germany proper. That makes it
even worse.
And if Chancellor Schmidt lends power to such a re-
vivalism of Hitlerism, in the form of encouragement to
Israel's worst enemies, the PLO, then the Begin outburst is
understandable.
Indeed, the occurrence is not an episode. It is a factor in
the ignoring of the past by repeating its blunders. That
which is PLO today was Hitler Nazism in the past.
President Navon's Repudiation
of Goldmann's Concession
Nahum Goldmann, for several decades the most dis-
tinguished world Jewish leader, has bowed again to Israel's
enemies. No matter how extreme the Begin condemnation
of West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, it carried
with it too much truth as a resentment of the new German
government trends of appeasing Israel's enemies not to be
treated with a measure of acceptance and respect.
President Yitzhak Navon of Israel is much more rep-
resentative than Nahum Goldmann, and his endorsement
of the Begin rebuke to Schmidt must be viewed with great
respect. President Navon commented on the matter involv-
ing the Schmidt position of catering to the PLO:
Navon said Schmidt's remarks were based on
"ignorance or worse still a distortion and lack of
sensitivity to the crimes of the Nazis carried out
against the Jewish people."
Navon added that Schmidt's remarks about the
Arabs being expelled from the West Bank of the
Jordan River "make me mad, firstly because of
the ignorance he showed."
"He claimed we expelled Arabs from the West
Bank," NaYon said. "But the plain fact is we did
not expel them, they went to war against us in the
war of independence (of1948) and were beaten.
Their leaders ordered them to emigrate."
Dr. Goldmann's defense of Schmidt is not a new pose in
the critical role he has adopted in his treatment of Israel
affairs. That's why he is so immensely disliked in Israel:
because of his attacks on Israeli leaders (it started with his
disputes with David Ben-Gurion) and his failure to be help-
ful to Israel in her difficult struggles.
By Philip
Slomovitz
tf.;
6....
A
YITZHAK NAVON
NAHUM- GOLDMANN
Perhaps the Goldmann role should be equated with
that of another well known Jew: Noam Chomsky. The lat-
ter, in his extremism which has not been helpful to Israel,
even granted freedom of speech to those who have dared
deny the tragedy of the Holocaust.
Such are the antagonists Israel has to contend with.
What do they say?: Protect us from kin and friends?
Enemies are easier to guard against.
* * *
The Ousting of Giscard
Menahem Begin also had some harsh words for Gis-
card d'Estaing.
The voters' verdict Sunday was much harsher.
Giscard was a mean guy to Israel. He may have been
among the most cordial to the PLO. He inherited the
Charles DeGaulle anti-Israelism with a vengeance.
Perhaps the 800,000 Jews now residing in France had
a role in the pro-Mitterand vote on Sunday.
Whatever it was, ifwas a verdict for justice that causes
some joy in Jewish ranks.
Perhaps the true French spirit will be revived by the
rebuke to Giscard.
A change in French policies toward Israel is surely to
be anticipated. Mitterand has opposed the Giscard prb-
Arab tactics. Whatever happens, the oncoming relations
between Israel and France are certain to be a great im-
provement over the dark past.
An hydroelectric canal, from Gaza to Masada, destined
to be the fulfillment of a dream. It will provide means. of
expanding agricultural purposes. It will be a blessing for
Israel and an invitation to Jordan to gain from the under-
taking.
The power systems thus to be generated awaited plan-
ning until the recent action in its support by the Israel
government and the assignment of it to the Israel Bond
Organization because of the vast sums needed as invest-
ment for the pursuance of the task.
Is the project feasible, and should a people seriously
affected by inflation undertake a vast expense of some $700
million which could increase to $1 billion or more?
The answer is in that people's experience as well as in
the pressing needs of the area in which it lives.
To assure agricultural progress and the Israeli nation
being able to sustain itself, the proposed power-providing
canal is a necessity.
The concern for Israel's progress already made the
investment medium, the Israel Bond, a reality. Jews re-
sponded to the needs with devotion. Non-Jews gave them
encouragement. That's how the Israel Bond campaigns be-
came important adjuncts to philanthropy. Now the Israel
Bond may, as it was hoped, be even more important than
philanthropy because it will help make the Israeli nation
self-sustaining.
Is the projected canal feasible? The initial responses to
the Israel Bonds investment appeals in its behalf are most
heartening. They are no longer the small Israel Bond
purchases: there is the increasing new category of
$100,000-plus Bond purchasers. This lends realization to
the old Zionist and Herzlian assertions that Zionism is not a
charity and must not be treated as such. It is a people's
determination to elevate human. values.
On this basis, the intention is to have the proposed
canal benefit Israel's Arab neighbors as well.
On these bases, the canal is feasible, hopeful for speedy
realization, a boon to human values.and international good
will.
Progressive Israeli Achievements, Emphasis
on Cultural, University Life Told by Prawer
Israel cannot submit to
the term "Panic" and a
people that has survived the
Holocaust cannot be judged
as subject to destructibility.
This was the gist of the
feeling of the determined
will to keep progressing,
expressed here last week by
Dr. Joshua- Prawer, profes-
sor of history at the Hebrew
University and an Israeli
since 1936.
Prof. Prawer expressed
confidence in the process of
integrating newcomers to
Israel, and the success in
such processes by the com-
munity of Oriental Jews.
He also indicated con-
fidence that what many
view as a problem of
Yordim, of Israelis emig-
rating, is diminishing and
is solvable.
Prawer addressed a Urge
gathering at the Jewish
Center, and many of the
current problems were sub-
jects of discussion by a
knowledgeable and deeply-
interested, audience that
gathered under the chair-
manship of Dr. William
Haber.
From Detroit, Dr. Prawer
went to Kalamazoo and Ann
Arbor for participation in
seminars at Kalamazoo.Col-
lege and the University of
Michigan. The seminars
were the 16th International
Congress on Medieval
Studies. His topic was
"Roots and Essence of Col-
onialism: Medieval At-
titudes to Alien Culture and
Society." Other lecturers in
the seminars included Sir
Steven Runciman of Scot-
land and Mrs. Carole
Altman Bromberg of De-
troit.
Prof. Prawer, whose pub-
lished wor k s on the
Crusades are acclaimed
among the most authorita-
tive on the subject, spoke
enthusiastically about the
emphasis on education and
the priorities given Israel's
universities. He called the
educational processes the
most important in Israel's
achievements and pointed
out that 90 percent of the
Israeli high school
graduates attend univer-
sities after three years of
army service.
Pointing out that a
third of the Oriental
youths now are high
school students, many
entering the universities,
Dr. Prawer said that
those who settled in Is-
rael from Oriental coun-
tries and the children of
such settlers are integrat-
ing progressively with
the rest of the population,
that they predominate in
labor unions and in many
aspects of Israeli life. He
said that 27 percent of
them intermarry with the
Occidentally-originating
Jewish settlers in Israel.
He also was less fearful
about the Yordim, those
who have left or leaving Is-
rael. The latter are di-
minishing, he said, and the
problem is soluble.
He analyzed the problem
by indicating that this is not
a new experience, that
settlers from the Second
Aliya left the Jewish home-
valuable Jewish citizens
wherever they may settle.
Dr. Prawer had a glowing
endorsement of the Project
Renewal services in behalf
of the impoverished
Sephardic masses in Israel.
He said the need called for
supplementary aid by the
United Jewish Appeal, and
while he deplored the slow-
ness of the action and the
delay in instituting it, he
said it was a vital need.
He pointed out, refuting
criticisms, that Project Re-
newal support often comes
when planned for families
JOSHUA PRAWER
with two or three or four
children, and when the
land in larger numbers.
In the present situation, housing is provided the fam-
he said, the conditions are ily is increased to 10.
more promising, Israelis "That's the problem and it
holding fast to their Jewish must be met," he said, "and
devotions, retaining a dedi- Project Renewal should be
cation to Hebrew, becoming encouraged and supported."
Housing Hints in NCJW Handbook
NEW YORK — Elderly
Americans on limited, fixed
incomes can remain in their
homes instead of having to
live in substandard housing
or nursing homes, or be in-
stitutionalized, according to
a new action handbook just
published by the National
Council of Jewish S_Women
(NCJW).
The publication, "Options
in Living Arrangements:
Housing Alternatives for
the Elderly," details how
community-based organiza-
tions can help the elderly to
help themselves to remain
in their homes. The hand-
book also shows alternative
living arrangements that
the elderly can afford.
These options include
"share-a-home," in which
the elderly homeowner
rents out one or more un-
used rooms to Other elderly
persons; "congregate hous-
ing," in which several non-
related persons share the
cost and maintenance of one
hoirse; and the "granny
flat," a prefabricated, self-
contained unit, which
originated in Australia, and
is now being tried experi-
mentally in the United
States.
For information on how to
obtain a copy of the hand-
book, write the National
Council of Jewish Women,
15 E. 26th St., New York,
N.Y., 10010.