24 Friday, February 11, 1983 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Reagan: Removal of Foreign Troops Will Prevent Clashes WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Reagan said the best way to prevent such in- cidents as occurred between a U.S. marine and Israeli troops is „,"to expedite" the withdrawal of all foreign Party CARICATURES by Chuck Borshanian 535-5340 forces from Lebanon. Although Reagan said the U.S. has "assurances" from Israel that the incident will not reoccur, he directly blames the Israelis for try- ing to penetrate the marines lines. He said the same Israeli commander had tried to go through the same line three times. The marine officer who brandished his revolver to stop three Israeli tanks last week did the "only thing he could do," Reagan said. He stressed that the U.S. and other contin- gents of the multinational force are in Lebanon at the request of the Lebanese goyernment so that that government can "try to establish stabil- ity." He added that he be- lieved "our forces are be- having very well." Reagan repeated his often stated position that he could not "set any time" for how iNO.. :HARASSMENT I OF IS . ELI R A TAUKV18N T ON THE AGENDA/ l DR. ISIDORE STEINER is pleased to announce the association of DR. PHILIP H. KRESCH IN THE PRACTICE OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE & SURGERY INGROWN TOENAILS CORNS & CALLOUSES WARTS (HANDS & FEET) HEEL PAIN DIABETIC FEET FLAT FEET PAINFUL FEET 17727 W. 10 Mile OFFICE SURGERY corner Sfld. HOSPITAL SURGERY Next to Sunoco Station CALL NOW 557-2400 NO CHARGE FOR INITIAL CONSULTATION or EXAM Taxi Service available for senior citizens X-RAYS OR ADDITIONAL TREATMENTS BILLED TO INSURANCE ( c=3 r.6 Ci •••• ■•■ ••••• ■■ ■ long the marines would have to be in Lebanon. In Jerusalem, Premier Menahem Begin ordered his ministers to tone down the angry rhetoric between Is- rael and the U.S. over last Wednesday's incident. But government sources stressed that his would "de- pend on the Americans" allowing the tension over the incident to die down. Summing up an angry Cabinet debate, Begin over- ruled several ministers who had suggested strong public action by Israel to em- phasize that it was in the right in the tank incident. Some of them urged Begin to make an official state- ment or send a public letter to President Reagan. . But Begin said such steps would needlessly exacerbate the tension and would play into the hands of those in the U.S. Administration who want to foment trouble between Washington and Jerusalem. According to Begin, it was those ele- ments who deliberately exaggerated the,incident for their ownf. pUrposes:. Defense Ministe Ariel Sharon reportedly sup- ported Begin's "play it ennl" approach. A Quality Education - Vibrant With Our Heritage Come to the HILLEL DAY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE Wednesday, Feb. 23, 1983 8 p.m. HILLEL DAY SCHOOL - A Jewish School providing a complete program in General and Hebrew Studies 'frOm Kindergarten through ninth grade Accepting enr011ments for Fall 1983. Half day and full day - kindergarten . and first grade Rabbi Robert Abramson, Headmaster June Weinberg, Executive Director 851-2394 - 32200 Middlebelt - Farmington Hills, Michigan 48018 Hillel Day Setxpol of Metropottlan Detroit admits Jewish students of ony roce color. national or ethnic origin. Its admission and scholarship programs ore non-discriminatory. No child will be denied en education at Hillel because of parents inability to pay the VI charges. Tuition oliowances will continue to be granted based on individual needs. . Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir appeared conciliat- ory when he told reporters, before his departure on a brief visit to West Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg that he hoped the incident will not affect the friendly relations between Israel and the U.S. He was referring to the episode last week when a marine officer, Capt. Charles Johnson, halted a column of three Israeli tanks and, brandishing a loaded pistol, warned that they could advance only over his dead body. The incident occurred near the Beirut airport. Is- rael insists the tanks were on a routine patrol in their legitimate area of opera- tions at the time and that the Americans later con- ceded this. Begin and other minis- ters expressed distaste over reports in the Israeli media citing Israeli sources to the effect that Johnson had been into- xicated when he con- fronted the tanks.. But Cabinet sources said the ministers, regardless of their differences over how to handle the inci- dent, were united in their anger and resentment against the Administra- tion for allegedly exaggerating it. Much of the blame was heaped on Defense Secre- tary Caspar Weinberger who, it was felt here, delib- erately over-reacted to the affair in order "to besmirch Israel." Officials and military officers assert that when American and Israeli offi- cers and diplomats in- spected the demarcation line shortly after the inci- dent, it was confirmed that the tanks'were in their own territory and that the marine captain had to leave his forward post to confront them. They said that colored barrels erected since then to define the demarca- tion line proved this. The officials appear dis- turbed over what they per- ceive to be a deliberate at- tempt by Washington to exaggerate a minor incident which they admit was the result of a "misunderstand- ing." The Israelis say that despite the alleged American admission that there was no serious in- cident or confrontation, the "Americans tend to blame Israel for what could have happened or what /night happen in the future. The tank incident has drawn sardonic comment from Israeli army officer who say it "ranged from the ridiculous to the unhappy to the absurd." They seem to take offense at the fact that Johnson has become what they call derisively Ameri- can's new "folk hero" who "single-handed repulsed three Israeli tanks by bran- dishing his pistol." In an ironic twist, the Is- raeli tank commander in- volved in the incident, iden- tified only as a Lt. Col. Rafi, was slightly wounded Sun- - day when two explosive charges detonated near a patrol he was leading in the Shuafat area, in the vicinity of the confrontation with the marine. Meanwhile, Maj. Saad Haddad, commander of the Christian militia in south Lebanon and Israel's prin- cipal ally, blasted the U.S. at a press conference in Metullah Friday. He claimed the marines were incapable of halting Pales- tinian terrorist attacks on Israeli troops in Lebanon and charged that "the marines are there for politi- cal purposes" and "to pro- , tect the PLO." In Washington, State Department spokesman Alan Romberg, said it was not useful to discuss the past nor was the problem a "legal issue." He said the issue now is one of "trying to prevent incidents" in the future. The spokesman also would not comment on a re- port in the Philadelphia In- quirer by its reporter who was 400 yards from the scene of the alleged clash and challenged the U.S. version of the incident. Be always employed about some rational thing, that the devil find thee not idle. —Jerome We,