THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, June 4, 1982
Boris Smolar's
`Between You
. . and Me'
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Editor-in-Chief
Emeritus, JTA
(Copyright 1982, JTA, Inc.)
LETTER TO REAGAN: On the desk of President
Reagan there lies, among other communications, a drama-
tic letter signed by presidents of 12 most important na-
__tional Jewish organizations and by presidents and chair-
an of 108 Jewish community councils in the larger cities.
he collective letter is a product of the National Jewish
J Community Relations Advisory Council, the roof organiza-
tion of Jewish community relations agencies in this coun-
try.
The collective letter deals with the tilt by the Adminis-
tration in its policy on the Middle East, a tilt which Jews in
this country consider as endangering Israel. The signators
• seek especially to prevent the sending by the U.S. of the
latest models of military aircraft and mobile missiles to
Jordan, reported to be advocated by Secretary of Defense
(D Caspar Weinberger.
The collective letter expresses concern over reports
1,0 •0► attributed to "high-level officials" that Secretary Wein-
berger calls for a redirection of U.S. policy away from Israel
in favor of "friendly" Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia
and Jordan. The communication terms such a suggestion
"an alarming development." The 120 Jewish leaders assert
in their letter that "it is time to 'redirect' the U.S. policy in
the Middle East away from the sale of arms to unstable and
uncooperative regimes" and reassert "unambiguous sup-
port" for reliable allies such as Israel, which has demos-.
trated the sincerity of its desire for peace by signing the
Camp David treaty with Egypt that entailed great national
risk and sacrifice.
REAGAN'S STRATEGY: President Reagan has so
far abstained from expressing his stand on the issue of
supplying Jordan with advanced military aircraft. The
Jordanian ruler, King Hussein, seeks to get the aircraft
from the American government under a threat to turn to
the Soviet government for weaponry.
The President is careful not to say "yes" or "no" for the
time being to Secretary Weinberger's suggestions. How-
ever, it is known that in military matters he is inclined to
side with Weinberger against other members of his
Cabinet. In the case of supplying F-16 jets and mobile
missiles to Jordan, he will probably not act until after the
autumn elections of members to the U.S. Congress. He still
remembers the strong opposition he met from a large
number of members of both houses of Congress to his de-
termination to sell AWACS to Saudi Arabia. He won on
this issue only after intensive campaigning which included
the argument that his prestige as President will suffer
among nations abroad if he is prevented from keeping his
commitment to Saudi Arabia. No such commitment has
been made so far to Jordan.
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...smdeak.
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JEWISH NATIONAL FUND
Cordially Invites You To Attend The
Testimonial Dinner
Honoring
Harry and Sarah Laker
For the purpose of establishing the
Harry and Sarah Laker Family Forest
in the American Independence Park in Israel
Wednesday, Evening,
June 16, 1982
at Shaarey,Zedek Synagogue
27375 Bell Road, Southfield
Cocktails, 6:00 p.m./Dinner, 7:00 p.m.
Contribution (including dinner)
per couple (minimum) S200.00
press Optional
Argentine Jews Rap Sharon
TEL AVIV (JTA) —
Moshe Weinstein, news
editor of the Spanish weekly
El Tiempo published in Tel
Aviv i.says he has-received a
number of complaints from
Argentine Jewish leaders
and ordinary citizens ex-
pressing concern about the
possible repercussions fol-
lowing statements by De-
fense Minister Ariel Sharon
about the future in the
Falkland Islands.
Sharon told the United
Jewish Appeal National
Leadership Conference in
Washington last week that
- !re are Jews in the
gentine army and prob-
ly in the British army.
"Again Jews are fighting
Jews in a war that does not
belong to them," he de-
clared.
El Tiempo published an
editorial charging Sharon
with "audacity and arro-
gance" for allegedly denig-
rating "Jews of both armies
who are fully convinced that
this war is their country's
war since they identify
themselves fully with the
country for which they
fight."
Verbal tension has been
reported from several
kibutzim which have mem-
bers of both British and
Argentinian origin.
Addressing a meeting of
the Conference of
Presidents of Major Ameri-
can Jewish Organizations
last week, Sharon said that
Israel has no intention
whatsoever of getting in-
volved in the British-
Argentinian dispute over
the Falkland Islands and,
therefore, will not sign any
new contracts for arms sales
to Argentina.
But he stressed that Is-
rael "will stick" to its prev-
ious commitments to sell
arms to Argentina and will
honor all past contracts be-
tween the two countries.
UNIFIL Boost
TEL AVIV (JTA) — The
United Nations Interim
Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
has been reshuffled since
the Security Council voted
to increase its strength from
6,000 to 7,000 men.
An additional 650 French
troops were deployed in the
central sector of southern
Lebanon last week.
Guest Speaker
Dr. Samuel I. Cohen
Executive Vice President
of Jewish National Fund
of America
Dinner Chairman
Irving Laker
Associate Chairmen
Leonard N. Simons
Paul Zuckerman
Co-Chairmen
David B. Hermelin
David B. Holtzman
Myron L. Milgrom
Honorary Chairmen
Mrs. Morris Adler
Dr. & Mrs. I. Jerome Hauser
Mr. & Mrs. Louis Berry
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph H. Jackier
Mr. & Mrs. Morris Brandwine
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Milan
Mr. & Mrs. Irwin I. Cohn
Dr. & Mrs. Harold T. Shapiro
Dr. & Mrs. William Haber
- Mr. & Mrs. Max M. Shaye
Mr. & Mrs. David Handleman
Mr. & Mrs. Leonard N. Simons
Members of Steering Committee
Leonard P. Baruch
Joni Feldman
Dr. Leon Fill
Dr. Gerald L. Laker
Martin Laker
Steve Lord
Milton J. Miller
Louis Parr
Mark E. Schlussel
Carmi M. Slomovitz
Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Slomovitz
Mr. & Mrs. Max Stollman
Mr. Phillip Stollman
Mr. & Mrs. David P. Zack
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Zuckerman
President. Jewish National
Fund of Greater Detroit
Ruben H. Isaacs
For Reservations and Information Call:
JEWISH NATIONAL FUND
27308 Southfield Road
Southfield, Michigan 48076
Phone (313) 557-6644
Executive Director
Percy Kaplan
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