THE JEWISH NEWS (USPS 275-520) Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951 Copyright © The Jewish News Publishing Co. Member of American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, National Editorial Association and • National Newspaper Association and its Capital Club. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Postmaster: Send address changes to The Jewish News, 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $15 a year. CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Business Manager PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher ALAN HITSKY News Editor HEIDI PRESS Associate News Editor DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 23rd day of Tammuz, 5741, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Numbers 30:2-32:42. Prophetical portion, Jeremiah, 1:1-2:3. Candle lighting, Friday, July 24, 8:41 p.m. VOL. LXXER, No. 21 Friday, July 24, 1981 Page Four DEFENSE 'WITHIN THE LAWS Destruction of the Iraqi nuclear reactor by srael continues to aggravate the elements who seep searching for means of making Israel and ter leaders the scapegoats in world disputa- ions. There is no denying the military genius that vas revealed in the bombing of the nuclear eactor. There is repetition of admiration for the kills that have given new status to the Israeli nilitary planning. But that does not reduce the tatreds manipulated in many quarters. This ompels the continuing search for facts and for •easoning to evaluate the occurrence of June 7, vhich will surely go down in history as one of he most amazing tactics in military history. Did Israel violate international law with the attack on the threatening reactor in Iraq? Legal Ind military tacticians and authorities who lave studied the matter give Israel a clean bill )f health. Chief among the legal experts who lave vindicated Israel is the eminent attorney Louis Nizer. Writing in the Toronto Globe and Mail under the heading "Israeli Attack Within he Law," Nizer made a specifically conclusive assertion regarding the role played by Israel in what the haters would denigrate as unlawful, declaring: It appears to be politic to condemn Israel. This s continued obeisance to OPEC and the need for _ts oil. However, it would accord with conscience not to impose sanctions or cut off military or ether aid to Israel. The condemnation of Israel is really a "slap on the wrist" which is supposed to mollify Arabic protests, while at the same time approving the applicable legal precepts. Such compromises are typical diplomatic devices, but they are hypocritical as well as morally defi- cient. Israel has acted in accordance with interna- tional law recognized for centuries, even by the Islamic Code. Israel has acted in the only way it could to save its people from genocidal oblitera- tion. A number of incidents in world history which Jaye established precedents for defensive ac- tions are quoted in the Nizer article. Explaining [srael's being "within the law," he stated in his definitive article: If there is a real and serious threat to the secu- Aty of a nation, it may take pre-emptive action. A leading treatise, "Oppenheim's International Law," states: From the earliest time of the existence of the Law of Nations self-preservation was consid- ered sufficient justification for many acts of a state which violate other states." History is replete with illustrations of this doc- trine. To cite only a few: In 1807, Canadian insurgents, rebelling against their country, seized an island within the American territory, and equipped a boat called the "Caroline" to carry supplies to their fellow rebels. Canada, without notice to the United States, sent troops into American territory and seized the "Caroline" and its supplies and de- stroyed the boat. The United States protested that its territorial integrity had been violated, but Great Britain and Canada proved that their act was "necessary for self-preservation" since that was not sufficient time to complain to the United States government and get relief. In 1585, England learned that Spain was readying the Armada to conquer her. England sent Sir Francis Drake and a fleet to attack im- mediately and disrupt the Armada's prepara- tions. It took three years for the Armada to be re- constituted, just as it will take Iraq three years to build another nuclear reactor. A precedent indicating that the Koran also endorsed the related Israeli action is alluded to by Mr. Nizer, who states: The Koran and the Islamic law are similar to the Anglo:Saxon law. A leading Islamic writer, Muhammed Hamidullah, writes in his book "Muslim Conduct of State" that a war is defen- sive and lawful "when the enemy has not actu- ally so invaded, but has behaved in an unbeara- ble manner." He supports this proposition with illustrations from the Prophet Mohammed's own actions. In the early years, when Moham- med was threatened by his enemies, he attacked Khaibar, which is justified on the ground that he was "nipping war in the bud." The Koran not only justifies pre-emptiye attack but labels those who die in such efforts martyrs. "Whoever fights in defense of his person and is killed, he is a martyr . . . Whoever fights in defense of his fam- ily and is killed, is a martyr." Thereupon Mr. Nizer applies the occurrences he referred to by analyzing Israel's precarious position in an area predominantly Arab, stat- ing: Iraq is an implacable enemy of Israel, an- nouncing its hostility year after year. As re- cently as 1977, Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein, said: "We will never recognize the rights of Israel to live as a separate Zionist state." Of all the surrounding intransigent Arab states, Iraq is the only one which has refused to sign a cease fire with Israel. She openly declares herself to be at war with Israel. Hussein is known as one of the most bloody leaders in the world. Factors inviting political and diplomatic de- cency in judging Israel also are introduced by Mr. Nizer. The following in his article are worth noting: a Finally, we ex mine the doctrine of excessive force. Israel did not drop an atomic bomb over the Iraqi nuclear plant. It did not exploit the provocative threat to destroy Israel, and bomb Iraq recklessly. With extraordinary precision, it destroyed a specific plant where the nuclear weapon could be constructed. It did so on a Sun- day when human loss would be at a minimum. Indeed, as a demonstration of technological brilliance, it must give pause to hostile Arab na- tions, and evoke admiration from even the Soviet Union as well as the United States. Surely the force used was not excessive. History is certain to treat the matter objec- tively, and surely with as much pride for Israel as is indicated in the admiration for the skill described by Mr. Nizer. Yet there is a reverberation of hatred that is described curiously as mistrust. Therefore the need to review the issue and to invite authoritative comment to indicate Is- rael's having been within the law. Therefore the appreciation for the value of so informative an analysis as Mr. Nizer's. The record is clear. Is- rael and her friends need not apologize for resorting to protect the lives of Israelis and the sovereignty of their state. `Prayer Is Reaching' Volume for Children The Union of American Hebrew Congregations has published a beautiful volume for children in its Union Education Series. The paperback volume, "Prayer Is Reaching," is co-authored by former Detroiter Rabbi Daniel B. Syme and Rabbi Howard Bogot. The beautiful illustrations were done by Marlene Lobell Ruthen. "Prayer Is Reaching" focuses on Mrs. Ruthen's lovely drawings of children, framed by the two rabbis' brief text about prayer. The 23 pages take only a few minutes to read and the book is aimed at relating God to the everyday world of children. The concluding page gives the Shehekheyanu blessing in trans- literated Hebrew, and in the English: Blessed is the Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.