411.11.41117
-
/ Friday, May 13, 1983
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Purely Commentary
Israel's Chief Obstacle
in M.E. Peace-Seeking
Background for the Main Obstructions to Peace, Under
Saudi Leadership, as Means of Preventing Trade and
Cultural Relations Between Israel, Liberated Lebanon
Shuttle: Serious Spoiler Role") merits special considera-
tion:
Whether Mr. Shultz will offer the Syrian
president any American incentives for coopera-
tion isn't clear. But if Mr. Shultz finally gets a
Lebanon-Israeli agreement and tries to sell it to
Syria, he will test another secretary of state's
theory. "No war is possible without Egypt,"
Henry Kissinger once said, "and no peace is
possible without Syria."
It's all a battle for life, and it has become part of the life
of Israel.
By Philip
Phi!ip
Slomovitz
allowing the Soviet Union, through its veto in the
Security Council, to exercise its influence in situa-
tions where maintaining tensions works to Soviet
advantage."
At the same time, the UN hag taken little or no
action in response to aggression by the Soviet
Union or its allies in Eastern Europe, Africa or
Asia.
Moreover, Mr. Brooks has turned up damning
evidence of UN forces' complicity with the PLO in
Lebanon. For instance, he notes reports that after
Israeli forces swept through the PLO camps in
1982, there was "close and systematic int
elligence
cooperation" between UN personnel and the
PLO and the UN forces even supplied the Palesti-
nians with sophisticated communications equip-
ment.
PLO liaison officers were allowed to move
fully armed with an armed escort through UN
"controlled" territory and the PLO persuaded UN
officers to inform village leaders 24 hours in ad-
vance of any impending search for concealed 4b
weapons. Mr. Brooks even cites a report that in-
dividual officers of the UN forces carried explo-
sives into Israel for use by PLO terrorists.
The Heritage Foundation report shouldn't
come as a surprise to anyone who has bothered to
look at the generally ineffectual, and sometimes
divisive, activities of the UN. It is sad that the
once-glowing dreams about the United Nations
have long since been dashed, and we are left to
wonder whether it can find any truly constructive
role in the world today.
This expose, the presentation of facts already well
known and presented at the proper time when truth is so
vital in judging world events, suggests the perpetuation of
another "Lamentations." It is one of the most serious in-
humanities for mankind to be concerned with.
Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman, who has
earned the year's highest award as New York Times
foreign correspondent covering the Middle East during the
critical period involving the Lebanese events, has a predic-
tion. He believes, reviewing earlier hopes that Lebanon
could be the second nation in the Middle East to make peace
with Israel, that latest developments offer this reality: that
Lebanon is being placed in a position of possibly being
forced down the line into becoming the 22nd Arab state to
make peace with Israel. This means that instead of a peace
An Expose of the UN
immediacy, Lebanon would be thrust into the final peace-
making mission in one of the most troubled areas in the
as
an Obstacle to Peace
world.
Mankind's hope for peace, the United Nations Organ-
The reason for such an augury is confirmed in other
ization that was promulgated in San Francisco in 1945 as
analyes of the Middle East situation, and while the culprit
an instrument for peace, has become an obstacle to the very
at the outset was Saudi Arabia, the rest of the Arab world is
combining forces to send forth word to the Lebanese that if • aim for human relations on a global scale.
"Pax United Nations?" is a continuing question related
they render too much favoritism to Israel, especially in
to the obstructively-echoing situation in the world organ-
trading and business agreements, Lebanon will be the state
ization. It is the title of an editorial in the Wall Street
to be punished. And Lebanon is already being punished for
Journal and it reiterates the challenges to the destructive
mere consideration of normal peace terms with her Israeli
tactics that undermine peace on all fronts:
neighbor.
The situation in, Lebanon is a testament to,
Thomas Friedman, in his prophetic statement, accom-
among other things, the failure of the United Na-
panied it with this admonition of the obstacles confronting
tions' peacekeeping mandate. The fact that the
the George Shultz shuttling of the Middle East:
•
Palestine Liberation Organization continued to
The Lebanese, concerned that Syria might ob-
use Lebanon as a terrorist base even after the UN
ject to what may be seen as a close relationship
Interim Force arrived in 1978 ultimately led to the
with Israel, have been reluctant to give Israel
Israeli invasion last year and subsequent de-
rights to use force in Lebanon as an infringement
ployment of American, French and Italian secu-
on Lebanese sovereignty. Beirut fears that trade
rity forces.
with Israel could lead Arab countries to boycott
The Lebanon episode is only one of many
Lebanese goods, a move that would be disastrous
examples discussed in a recent study of the UN
to Lebanon's economy; Lebanese officials said.
peacekeeping function by Roger A. Brooks, a pol-
This is not the first nor is it the last in the series of
icy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. He notes
admonitions about the Arab threats to Lebanon not to do
that some 140 conflicts, in which up to 10 million
business with Israel. It was revealed at the outset as a
people have died, have been fought since the es-
Saudi Arabian objective.
A Sad Occurrence: The End
tablishment of the UN in 1945. Yet the UN has
Amos Perlmutter, editor of the Journal for Strategic
of Important Youth Magazine -
done little to prevent this fighting or to restore
Studies who has gained recognition as an authority on
peace,
despite
expenditure
on
peacekeeping
of
at
It is sad to record: one of the best magazines for youth
events transpiring in the Middle East, had a warning of a
least $3 billion, of which the United States paid
has come to its end. The suspension by the Board of Jewish
Saudi Arabian policy of impeding relations with this coun-
about $1 billion.
Education of Greater New York of the publication of
try. He had this to say in an article, "Burned Again by the
Mr. Brooks concludes that "the United Na-
"World Over" is a matter to be deeply regretted.
Saudis: The Ultimate Rejection," in the Wall Street Jour-
tions clearly deserves failing grades for
For four decades, this magazine instructed and
nal, in which he stated:
peacekeeping."
entertained. It was a well-edited magazine for children and
In Lebanon, the Saudis are impeding U.S. ef-
"In some cases, where the UN has actually
adults learned much from it.
forts at every turn, mostly by pinching the
intervened with peacekeeping or observer mis-
It is true that there are other, similar publications and
Lebanese with threats of not delivering aid.
sions, it has fueled the violence by supporting
that some are providing the needs they serve in the Hebrew
The Saudis, acting through Lebanese politi-
wars of national liberation and by failing to con-
language. But "World Over" had a tradition that must not
cian Saab Salam, have blocked every effort
trol international terrorism," Mr. Brooks says.
be abandoned. It was factual, informative, providing the
toward a separate -Lebanese-Israeli arrangement,
"In almost all cases," he adds, "the UN has
humorous as well as the serious to instill Jewish knowledge
and sabotaged the American-Lebanese-Israeli
exacerbated the tensions between nations by
in the readership.
agreement that would have ended in normaliza-
'globalizing' each crisis as it arises; by opening up
Hopefully, the need for such literary material for the
tion of relations between Lebanon and Israel.
sensitive regional and international issues to the
youth will not be ignored by responsible Jewish educa-
Because Saudi Arabia is the chief obstructionist to
divisive scrutiny of the General Assembly; and by
tional movements.
peace with Israel, especially by means of threats to cut off
trade and aid to Lebanon, thus influencing the Arab world,
the following from the Perlmutter article in,the Wall Street
Journal is significant:
For a decade, Saudi Arabia has made a moc-
kery of the peace initiatives of U.S. presidents.
Earlier, it did everything it could to undermine
By MARY STEWART
biochemical and phar- insect sprays sold in the compounds in smaller
the Camp David negotiations process, leading the
KROSNEY
macological mechanisms in supermarket.
quantities, similar to the
effort to ostracize Egypt economically and politi-
REHOVOT — Two
the brain that may explain
In large direct doses, the situation of a farm worker
cally from the Arab world.
Weizmann Institute scien-
the effects of chronic expo- acetyleholifiesterase in the who may be exposed to rela-
In the United Nations, Saudi Arabia's record
tists investigating the intri-
sure to insecticides."
brain is blocked, the tively small amounts of the
vis-a-vis U.S. interests is enlightening and dismal.
cate processes by which
On 64 percent of 204 resolutions in 1982, the
The line of com- amount of acetylcholine in- toxic agent over a long
nerve signals are transmit-
Saudis voted with the Soviet Union; on only 36
munications between creases, and hyperstimula- period of time. Their re-
ted in the brain have un- nerve cells in the brain, tion of the nerves occurs. search into how it interacts
percent with the U.S.
covered evidence which explained Dudai, is fil-
Paralysis and later death is with nerve cells — has pro-
Moreover, on the 20 votes the State Depart-
may explain why some tered by enzymes. One the result.
vided a clearer picture of
ment regards as critical — such as on arms con-
workers exposed to insec- such enzyme, which is
Dudai and Silman were why great care should be
trol,' Latin America and the Mideast — the Saudis
ticides may experience de- called acetylcholines-
more concerned with the ef- taken in handling insec-
voted against the U.S. every time. By contrast,
pression, paranoia, recur-
fect of organophosphorous ticides.
Israel supported the U.S. on all.
terase, degrades a chem-
rent nightmares and other ical, called acetylcholine,
It all relates to Israel's original proposal for "normali-
mental disorders.
which transmits mes-
zation" of relationships with Lebanon — the aim being a
"The symptoms de-
sages from one nerve cell
civilized peace which includes trade relation& as well as
veloped by some people ex- to another. The scientists
cultural exchanges. It was rejected and the subsequent posed to insecticides were
have shown in experi-
consideration of mutual relationships seemed more accept- described a long time ago by
able. There is nothing acceptable, however, and trade rela- others," said Prof. Yadin ments on rats that acetyl-
cholinesterase can be
tions especially are fought, because Saudi Arabia has in- Dudai, who has devoted the
adversely affected by
troduced that maneuver against Israel and the other Arab past two years to this par-
pesticides or certain
states are following the Saudis.
ticular research. "The chal-
Secretary of State George Shultz is making earnest lenge has been to find out nerve gases. The poisons,
in effect, reduce the level
efforts to assure some sore of peaceful approaches. The
why," he said.
of acetylcholinesterase,
suspicion of animosity by Secretary of Defense Caspar
"We are not working in thus causing faulty
Weinberger is growing rapidly and has extended to many the field," stressed Prof. Is-
transmission of the nerve
quarters.
rael Silman, who immig- messages.
In the wake of the many curtailments to the peace
rated to Israel from
needs, Syria has become as damaging as Jordan and from
England with his family as
The culprit is a group of
Damascus come threats similar to those of the Saudis that a child, and under whom Dr. organophosphorous com-
any form of Israel-Lebanese trade relations will be fought Dudai prepared his doctoral pounds, common in many
to the finish in the Arab world. A summation to an article thesis. "Our work has con- insecticides used today, in-
The Weizmann Institute in Rehovot; the site of
by Karen Elliott House in the Wall Street Journal ("Shultz centrated on molecular, cluding ordinary household many Israeli scientific breakthroughs.
Weizmann Institute Scientists Link Mental
Disorders to Large-Scale Use of Pesticides