2 Friday, July 2, 1982

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Purely Commentary

Israeli Road Dynamited:
What Does Future Hold?

Another victory: another set of obstacles.
This is Israel's fate in an era when acquisition of state-
hood was meant to end homelessness and provide sover-
eignty. The road to the attained revival of national status is
strewn with difficulties, with experiences bathed in blood.
The tragedies along that trek have witnessed remark-
able unity in Jewish ranks. Now there is a partial erosion,
due to so many tragedies in the latest military operations.
The occurrences in Lebanon must end with a measure
of relief when there is a settling - down to realities and a
ceasefire truly takes hold. Whatever and whenever the end
of it, it would be sheer folly to fail to take into account the
condemnations of Israel on an international scale, the
fright which has gripped many Jews, the -erosion of good
will on a larger scale than ever.
Even in Israel, where all political parties, except the
handful of Communists, are united in the aim of repulsing
the PLO, there is a critical note that is gaining momentum.
Israel and Jewry are fortunate that the Reagan Ad-
ministration has not been too harsh with the Jewish state.
But here, too, especially in the media, the reports from
Lebanon, regarding the military as well as the civilian, are
increasingly aggravating.
One special matter must therefore be clarified. Israel's
aim is to either end or greatly reduce the threats to her
existence from the PLO. The threats from the enemies are
obvious. Yet there are many, and growingly in • Jewish
ranks, who advocate negotiating with the PLO. Israel's
Ambassador Moshe Arens contends that any such approach
of possible negotiations is now obviated. The role of the
PLO, although it has been exposed time and time again,
must once more be placed on the record.
The PLO not only has not slowed its hate campaign. It
keeps increasing it. Arafat keeps re-emphasizing the
Covenant of Destruction.
A PLO pamphlet printed by the Malta PLO office and
widely distributed asserts:
The exercise by the Palestinian people of the
right to self-determination on part of the home-
land is bound to intensify the struggle of the
Palestinian people in the East Bank (Jordan), and
for the right of return to the part of Palestine
occupied in 1948 . . . The dynamism that the es-
tablishment of an independent Palestinian state
produces will be reflected in the situation of the
1948-occupied territories, i.e. inside Israel itself.
It will be reflected in activating on a new scale
all the Palestinian and Israeli forces opposed to
Zionism and Imperialism. All this would create
the necessary conditions for the creation of a
united democratic state in the whole of Palestine
. . It might take the form of the free exercise of
self-determination, and the choice of union be-
tween the areas of predominant Arab population
— the Galilee for example — and the Palestinian
state in the occupied territories of 1967.
In addition, of course, to the continuation of the
right of Palestinians in other areas to return to
their homes a'nd homeland . . . The national
struggle aimed at achieving the right to self-
determination cannot be achieved before the dis-
integration of Zionist institutions.
The advocacy of dealing with the "moderates" has be-
come part of the accusatory toward Israel, under the claims
that Israel fails itself to be moderate. What are the facts?
Here are additional factually-authoritative data about
the conflict with the enemy:
In a speech broadcast by PLO radio from Beirut
on March 31, 1982, Arafat said: "Our brothers in
the Galilee, in the Triangle, Haifa, Jaffa, Ashke-
lon, Rafah, Kahn Yunis, Gaza, Hebron,
Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and in the
entire occupied land . . . the land is Arab and will
remain Arab."
Khaled Al-Hassan, a high ranking member of
Fatah, close aide of Arafat and so called "moder-
ate," said in an interview published by the
Lebanese (now London-based) Al Dustour on
Jan. 15, 1982: "The Palestinian position has de-
termined that it is possible to establish a Palesti-
nian state over any liberated section, as long as it
does not imply peace with or recognition of the
Zionist enemy.. Such a state does not constitute a
goal in itself, and whoever considers it to be a goal
is a traitor who forsakes part of the homeland."
In an interview with Monte Carlo Radio on
March 7, 1982, he emphasized again: "We are not
against the Jews, and we don't want to throw
them into the sea, however Zionist Israel hasn't
got the right to exist.We wish to fulfill Arafat's
dream of a united Palestinian democratic state."
Farouk Kadoumi, described as the "foreign
minister" of the PLO, also supplied proof that the
aim is not just a limited one, but the destruction of
Israel, when in an interview on NBC (June 13,

By Philip
Slomovitz

A Painful Subject Approached With Deep Regret: That
of Clarifying for the Community the Inevitable in the
Israeli Operations and the Continuity of PLO Menace

1982) he demanded to go back to Jaffa and added
that 11/2 million Palestinians would go back to
their homes, in what is now Israel.
The Charter of the PLO calls for the destruction
of Israel, and as the above mentioned quotations
show, this still remains the goal of the PLO.
Israel has indicated time and time again that
within the framework of the Camp David agree-
ments there exists the mechanism for the Palesti-
nian Arab inhabitants of Judea, Samaria and the
Gaza District to participate in the determination
of their own future by participation in the self-
governing authority and taking part in the
negotiations on the determination of the final
status of the area.
Unless truth is sieved from the increasing myths, the
situation will grow worse and the future will be more bleak.
Painful as it is, the appeal to reason must continue.
There will be much to do to overcome the ill effects of
spreading accusations that Israel's forces have massacred
civilians, that 600,000 have been made homeless. On the
latter score alone it will be so very difficult to establish that
only 20,000 lost their homes, that they returned to them
after the Israeli shellings, that Israel provides the affected
with medical care, with food and where possible with shel-
ter.
Of course, war will always be desciibed for what it is, as
hell. But the inevitable had to be pursued by Israel —.that
of driving out from sight the PLO terrorists. Now comes a
time of restoring order. That will hopefully be done by the
Lebanese themselves, with Syria and PLO ousted, with
Israel's forces leaving Lebanon as soon as possible.
It can't come too soon.

The Grim Aspects Menacing
Israel's Status in the U.S.

Having taken into account Israel's compulsive needs,
the duty to assure an end to the threats that have menaced
her very existence, there are the many grim aspects affect-
ing the erosion of friendships that must be dealt with.
Prime Minister Menahem Begin's visit with President
Ronald Reagan and with members of Congress now begs
serious review. Israel may not be denied military assis-
tance. She may, however, lose the friends who are so vital to
the people's image worldwide.
Israel, without friends like those in the United States,
may suffer the danger of being so menacingly targeted that

the present problems will sink into insignificance. Israel
needs confidence, self-assuiance, peoplehood that includes
the unity of Jewry. It istill exists, but it could diminish into
such a sad minuteness that the Israelis themselves may
sink into desperation.
Israel can't afford to lose a single friend. Every friend
lost for Israel will be a loss for Jewry.
The evidence is in this state as well as in other areas.
Already some members of Congress from Michigan are
cringing, some have expressed themselves damningly
about Israel's prime minister and minister of defense.

Has the relationship between Israelis and American
leaders weakened to such an extent that there is a lessen-
ing of exchanges in views on how best to approach the
issues involving security?
Is the public relations factor here sinking into an in-
capacity to clarify the problems into a retention of friend-
ships for the Jewish state?
If only the hope for an early end to the present confli
could be realized! Its non-immediacy is appalling, and that
adds to the responsibility of properly confronting the ac-
cumulating dangers.
Serious dangers evolve, and true statesmanship is
needed to resolve the issues. Would that wholesome solu-
tions could be anticipated!

No Longer to Be Ignored: Autonomy -
and the Many Palestinian Claims

Now it is a certainty: the negotiations labeled au-
tonomy cannot be ignored. The references to Palestinians
cannot be treated with disdain. The overwhelming number
of Arabs under Israel's administrative powers must be
treated as reality.
Hopefully, Begin and Sharon won't laugh them off. The .
future of Israel demands that neighborliness and friend-
ship be assured on a pragmatic basis. There has to be
give-and-take.
And here one must admit to the lesson of horror in
human relations: that there are few Arabs to sit together
with in brotherliness or cousinship, that in a time when
Hosni Mubarak offers a Cairo haven for Arafat there is less
cause for optimism.
But the need must not be delimited, the compulsion to
think seriously of the Palestinians and autonomy must be
first on the agenda.
Hopefully, there'll be a speedy approach to it.

Project Renewal Takes Root in Ashkelon

By JANET MENDELSOHN

World Zionist Press Service

JERUSALEM
—
Seventeen-year-old Simon
Harris of Willesden, Lon-
don, is no expert in commu-
nity work, but after a sum-
mer in the Israeli city of
Ashkelonyhe learned many
of the valuable basics in
dealing with people.
"Touching and smiling
can be as meaningful as
speaking," he said. "Love is
the international common
denominator when working
with people — even when
you don't speak their lan-
guage."
Love and devotion are
certainly in evidence on the
streets of this historic'city of
Ashkelon this summer, as
English and Israeli teen-
agers spend their- vacation
helping the large numbers
of culturally disadvantaged
residents. And summer vol-
unteers are not the only
ones helping to revitalize
Ashkelon.
Slated for rehabilita-
tion in a joint project of
the Israel government
and the Jewish Agency,
the coastal city has been
twinned with England in
"Project Renewal," the
massive $1.2 billion plan
to help eliminate poverty
in Israel.
A total of 160 Israeli
neighborhoods and com-
munities are on the agenda
to receive aid, and 300,000
of Israel's culturally de-

prived citizens will be as- on one of the Mediterra-
sisted by the Israel govern- nean's cleanest shores.
ment and world Jewry.
Since being matched with
Prime Minister Begin has British Jewry through the
promised that budget cuts of Keren Hayesod — United
the Finance Ministry will Jewish Appeal campaigns,
not affect Project Renewal. Ashkelon has been given a
One of the oldest and most shot in the arm, • and
important cities of ancient bureaucratic wheels have
Israel, Ashkelon has not started turning, albeit
always been successful in slowly.
grappling with an -influx of
"People are beginning to
immigrants, many of whom
have yet to be absorbed into take pride in themselves as
the mainstream of Israeli well as in their town, and
this is a big step in initiat-
life.
ing change," notes one na-
A recent report prepared, tive of Ashkelon. "Hopes
by the Ashkelon municipal- and expectations have been
ity and the Joint Israel Ap-
*
peal, defines the city as a
problem area: "At least 40
percent of its population of
55,000 live in under-
privileged conditions.
Crime, vandalism, prostitu-
tion, drugs and illiteracy
are among the social prob-
lems presented by Ashke-
lon's 'dropout' population

aroused, and now some re-
sults are taking shape."
An English sports direc-
tor is working with young
people, and a mobile dental
clinic has been aiding the
citizens. This project
will recruit volunteer de-
ntists from Great Britain to
man a mobile unit, which
will reach children who in
many cases have never seen
a dentist. Educational
facilities are being reno-
vated, and external courses
are being offered to teach
mothers to read and write at
local neighborhood laundry
clubs.

.

A tremendous poten-
tial awaits exploitation in
the realms of industry
and tourism, but at pre-
sent most of the local
work is at best non-
skilled and unsatisfying.
Crystal clear beaches
and an ideal climate at-
tract local residents and
weekend campers, but
Ashkelon could support
a broad tourist industry
with its prime location 40
miles south of Tel Aviv,

*

10-

This apartment complex in Ashkelon is a pro-
totype of the Project Renewal buildings planned for
many of Israel's depressed neighborhoods.