THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
12 Friday, August 13, 1982
Lebanese Prof. Helps Expose Issues and Demands PLO's Ouster
- "It
(Continued from Page 1)
by the forces under Arafat.
The exhibition and the
Khoury visit were ar-
ranged by Marcel J. Hage
of Grosse Pointe, na-
tional president of the
American Lebanese
League, and Robert
Farah, a local leader in
the organization.
The emphasis on the
Lebanese concern with the
PLO guilt was expressed in
Hage's address to the press
upon the commencement of
the exhibit held in Cobo
Hall Aug. 5 and 6. Hage
said:
"My name is Marcel
Hage, president of the
American Lebanese
League, a nationwide non-
profit organization founded
by American citizens in
1976 to promote United
States-Lebanon relation-
ships and to foster the sov-
ereignty, security, democ-
racy and independence of
Lebanon within the bounds
of the U.S. national inter-
est.
"We are not a lobbying
organization, but an educa-
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tional, humanitarian and
social organization with a
broad national membership
base representing the phi-
losophy and ideals of the
great majority of the nearly
two million Americans of
Lebanese descent.
"Today I would like to
discuss briefly the crisis
in Lebanon, the impor-
tance of Lebanon to the
U.S., and the major U.S.
policy actions that
should be considered to
achieve U.S. strategic
and regional objectives,
and to save a friend.
"Lebanon is a modern-
day tragedy. This pro-
Western democracy, a cen-
ter of culture and com-
merce, a model of graceful
accommodation among
Moslems, Christians,
Druze, Jews and those of
other persuasions, is in
danger of being destroyed.
This year, 1982, may de-
termine Lebanon's future.
"We fully support
President Reagan's offer to
send a battalion of U.S.
Marines to Lebanon, to-
gether with troops from
other friendly countries, to
supervise the withdrawal
from Lebanon of armed PLO
guerillas. The Lebanese
government wants the PLO
out, the Lebanese people,
Christian and Moslem,
want them out, the U.S.
wants them out, and they
should get out. Their
presence has been a catas-
trophe for the Lebanese
people.
"We feel that the historic
direct U.S.-Lebanon reld
tionship must be estab-
lished. All nations of the
region have objectives not
necessarily in the best
interests of Lebanon; there-
fore, if Lebanon is to be
stabilized effectively , the
U.S. cannot look through
other powers exclusively, as
in the past.
"Also, by direct U.S. in-
volvement, U.S. primacy
in the region will be sus-
tained, preventing in-
roads of Soviet influence.
If the U.S.-Lebanon tie is
re-established, Lebanon
will always remain a
loyal friend.
"We fully support
President Reagan's objec-
tives in Lebanon, namely:
"The withdrawal of all
foreign armed forces — Is-
raelis, PLO, Syrian — from
Lebanon.
"The establishment of a
strong, sovereign Lebanese
government, duly consti-
tuted, reflecting the will of
the people, and having full
responsibility and
authority over the nation
and its people.
"These principles are
supported overwhelm-
ingly by the grass roots
constituency of
American-Lebanese
across the U.S. — our
community newspapers,
radio programs, social
organizations and four of
five American-Lebanese
Senators and Con-
gressmen.
"The American Lebanese
community deplores the
loss of life and property in
Lebanon during the past
few weeks.
"However, the Lebanese
situation must be looked at
in a larger context. For the
last seven years, Lebanon
and the Lebanese people
have been subject to one of
the most brutal occupations
of recent history, involving
the presence of armed Sy-
rian and PLO forces which
have controlled major por-
tions of Lebanon. As all
military occupations do,
this presence has resulted
in the de-humanization and
degradation of the fabric of
Lebanese society, the
Lebanese will and aspira-
tions, indeed all that goes
with being a free and sover-
eign people.
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is vital that both authority will not end the
Lebanon and the U.S. work cycle of conflagration that
for the removal of all foreign recurs at increasingly
forces from Lebanese soil. dangerous levels of inten-
However, the unilateral sity not only for the region
withdrawal of Israel and Is- but for strategic confronta-
raeli troops from Lebanon, tion.
while allowing the funda-
"A final and most im-
mental cancer of unwanted portant point is that , a
Syrian and armed PLO strong sovereign Leba-
forces to remain would, non would remove the
after all of the suffering the free ground that the an-
Lebanese have endured, be tagonists presently use to
the ultimate tragedy. It conduct military opera-
would bespeak a policy that tions endlessly and at no
would run counter to basic penalty to themselves.
American principles of
"Presently, these .mili-
ethics, morality, justice and tary operations can be con-
democraCy.
ducted with no penalty in-
"Consequently, we feel side. Syria, inside Jordan,
that the present situation inside Saudi Arabia, inside
opens a window of Kuwait, inside Israel, in-
opportunity, and consti- side any country. An-
tutes a rare moment in tagonists have a free, neut-
the history of a people.
ral ground that can be de-
"It presents an opportu- vastated time and time
nity to solve not only the again with impunity.
"The removal of that
problem of the Lebanese
people by lifting the yoke of neutral ground will create
occupation from Lebanon, an incentive for the various
but also, from the point of antagonists to come to the
view of U.S. national inter- peace table. Continued and
est, to remove the Lebanese long-teim access to that
flashpoint which has neutral ground will never
threatened to ignite the motivate any of the parties
entire region, causing major to accept the peace process."
regional, and perhaps even
Hage helped found the
strategic confrontations.
American Lebanese League
"A strong, sovereign, re-
(ALL) in 1975 and since
constituted Lebanon and
then
has held several key
Lebanese authority would
accomplish four objectives positions on its national
executive board. He served
which would work to the
as its immediate past trea-
advantage of U.S. national
surer and this June was
interests:
elected to the presidency at
"It would blunt Soviet its annual convention held
penetration into the region.
in Washington, D.C.
Presently, three major ex-
Hage is simultaneously
tensions of Soviet policy all
serving as president of
converge in Lebanon: Syria,
the Detroit-based United
whose major army outside Christian Lebanese
Syria resides in Lebanon;
Association. Among its
the PLO who live in Leba- many activities, the
non; and Libya, whose
group currently sponsors
largest political-military
13 Americans of
investment is in Lebanon.
Lebanese descent
"Another major benefit through college.
for the U.S. and the free
Born in Tripoli, Lebanon
world is that of curbing in 1934, Hage immigrated
international terrorism.
to the United States in 1957
This scourge of terrorism
and became a naturalized
wherever it occurs in the citizen in 1963. He
world arises either di-
graduated from the Detroit
rectly or indirectly from
College of Applied Science
the terrorist camps in in industrial engineering,
Lebanon.
working since graduation
"The terrorism opus in
on the engineering staff of
Lebanon affects terrorism General Motors. He is mar-
throughout the world. A ried and has four children.
strong, sovereign Lebanese
Hage's activities for the
authority would do a great
national, as well as local,
favor for the whole Free
Lebanese community have
World by allowing that cen-
brought him in weekly con-
ter to be brought under con- tact with Lebanese coun-
trol.
terparts in Beirut and other
"A strong, sovereign
cities in Lebanon, as well as
Lebanon would accelerate American leaders in gov-
the peace process. Syrian
ernment at the national
power has played havoc level.
with peace efforts in the
He is available to speak
area, and has hampered
on "American Interests in
both Camp David and the
Lebanon" among other
moderate Saudi Arabian topics. He can be reached at
peace process.
882-7617 or 556-9675.
"The weakening of Syria
The well-attended press
and the strengthening of conference did not elicit at-
Lebanon would auto-
tention from the media. Ex-
matically accelerate the
cept for an advance story
peace process.
about the exhibit in the De-
"Removing the Lebanese
troit News, there was little
flashpoint. I do not have to
attention to the American
tell you that the Lebanese
Lebanese condemnations of
situation could become crit-
the PLO.
ical at any time as it has in
Meanwhile, the con-
this last week. Merely get-
vention of the organiza-
ting a ceasefire without a tion of Islamic Associa-
fundamental change in
tions of the U.S. and
Lebanon, without recon-
Canada drew some atten-
stituting a strong Lebanese tion here, with represen-
tatives of many Arab
countries attending as
delegates.
The Detroit Zionist Fed-
eration, of which Dr. Sheila
Lampert is president; ar-
ranged for a demonstration
led by her and Rabbi Milton
Arm, presenting the
Zionist-Israel view of the
current situation in
placards carried by the
demonstrators. This was to
counteract the anti-Israel
parade by Arab women in
Kennedy Square.
Another demonstration,
led by Prof. Leon Warshay
of Wayne State University,
was held at Cobo Hall on
Sunday afternoon, duri.'
the Islamic convention.
_
Placards
entitled
"Americans Against Petrol
Power" were carried by
non-Jews as well as Jews.
Resolutions adopted by
the Islamic conference
called for an arms embargo
and an end to all U.S. eco-
nomic aid for Israel.
Congressman John
Conyers, who has gener-
ated extremest opposi-
tion to Isiael in the U.S.
House of Representa-
tives, is supporting a
similar measure in Con-
gress. At the Islamic con-
ference he called Israel's
invasion of Lebanon "the
most illegal and immoral
war in a decade."
Considerable interest
was drawn Saturday night
to the Mort Crim "Free for
All" show on WDIV-TV for a
discussion of the Lebanese
situation. As Crim himself
remarked, the audience was
"stacked." There were five
Jews in the audience of
nearly 100, and while out-
numbered 15 to one, the
Jewish attendees clearly
explained the Jewish posi-
tion, refuting the repetitive
distortions about Israel and
the threats to Israel from
the Arab-dominated
attendees.
Meanwhile, theie is a
continuing resentment
over the failure of the
media to present the pos-
itive aspects of the situa-
tion, while emphasizing
so much that is
detrimental to Israel.
There were many pro-
tests against resort to
headlines constantly re-
buking and repudiating
Israel, as on the front
page of the Free Press on
Monday. Readers who
woke that morning to
learn about Israel's con-
cessions to the approach-
ing peace were greeted
with the headline, "Israel
Stalls Latest Plan ..."
An article Sunday by
Saul- Friedman, Washing-
ton correspondent for the
Free Press, was among the
extremest resorts to a "bill
of condemnation of Israel.'
It resorted to a revival of the
Deir Yasin incident, quota-
tions of attacks on Begin by
Albert Einstein, every con-
ceivable fault found with Is-
rael. While all these accusa-
tions were dealt with in ear-
lier issues of The Jewish
News, the latest "bill of
complaint" will be tackled
in next week's issue.