THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

The Queen's gaffe and an invitation by Israel

BY VICTOR BIENSTOCK

Special to The Jewish News

Miami — Her Majesty's
ministers permitted Queen
Elizabeth to commit a faux
pas on her recent visit to the
Kingdom of Jordan and the
British press rose in virtu-
ally unanimous protest. The
monarch, by tradition, ex-
presses her personal opin-
ions in public only in her
Christmas greeting to her
subjects; all her other public
declarations must be pre-
pared by the government
and are to be taken as repre-
senting the government
position.
When the Queen re-
sponded to welcoming
ceremonies at Amman and
referred to the tragedy that
had befallen the Palesti-
nian people and said that
the sight of Israeli planes
flying patrol over the West
Bank "terrified" her and
when she laid a wreath at a
memorial to Arab soldiers
killed fighting the Israelis,
she was put into the position
of taking sides in the Arab-
Israeli dispute.
Not so! thundered the
Times of London. Her
Majesty should not be
criticized for this; she went
to Jordan and spoke there
on the advice of her minis-

ters who are constitution-
ally responsible for her ut-
terances. The Times and
other important dailies
were horrified and unspar-
ing in their criticism of the
Foreign Office which they
held directly responsible for
the gaffe.
This breach of British
tradition, coming on the eve
of the state visit to England
of President Chaim Herzog
of Israel, probably did more
to alter Fleet Street's gen-
erally negative attitude
toward the Jewish state
than any single event in re-

British
newspapers held
the Foreign Office
responsible.

he grew more tolerant.
But now, having checked
During the final days of the record, I am more
the effort to gather the baffled than amused. On
necessary two-thirds major- June 20, 1910, eight months
ity to pass the Prayer in before Mr. Reagan was born
Public Schools Amendment on Feb. 6, 1911, in Tampico,
(which fell short by eleven Ill., the Supreme Court of
votes), President Reagan that state had banned man-
met privately with a datory prayers in the public
number of Senators.
schools.
As reported in the press,
In the case People ex rel
one of the most interesting Ring et al v. Board of Educa-
exchanges took place at the tion of District 24, the Il-
White House when a few of linois Supreme Court said
the President's fellow Re- that "religion is taught and
publicans were in for a ses- should be taught in the
sion of gentle persuasion churches" but imposing
and a little friendly arm- prayer in which a student
twisting. Senator Arlen felt he could not take part
Spector of Pennsylvania "subjects him to a religious
told Mr. Reagan that he had stigma and places him at a
felt quite uncomfortable disadvantage in the school,
years earlier, as a Jewish which the law never con-
student in Wichita, Kansas, templated."
when Christian prayers
As my favorite American
were spoken.The President philosopher, Casey Stengel,
responded with some touch- always said, "You can look
ing reminiscences of his it up. It's right there in the
own boyhood in Dixon, Ill., record."
concluding that he had ex-
Over half a century before
perienced no such sense of
discomfort when "listening the Supreme Court expel-
to prayers of other reli- led God from our schools,"
as the President puts it, the
gions."
I chuckled when I read Supreme Court of his native
that, despite the serious- state had arrived at an al-
ness of the issue at hand. most identical decision.
That doesn't mean that
Exactly what "other reli-
there
were never prayers
gions" were present and
praying publicly in Dixon.? spoken in the schools that
All I could come up with was the young Reagan attended.
the possibility that, I am sure that there were,
whereas the Disciples of just as they have continued
Christ, whose congregation in many classrooms during
the young Ronnie attended, the past two decades since
in the Lord's Prayer used the U.S. Supreme Court
the words "forgive us our spoke to the subject.
But it does say something
sins as we forgive those who
sin against us," the about selective memory of
Methodists and the past, and about public
Presbyterians inserted the policy by anecdote in the
words "debts" or "trespas- present.
ses." Perhaps those were the National Conference of
"other religions" for which Christians and Jews.

Special to The Jewish News

40—BUSINESS CARDS

that the Crown must b e rael's severest critics.
arrange the precise itiner-
kept unsullied by politics •
While the British have ary. But one way or another
ELECTRICAL WORK
And nowhere is this tradi
fought hard for a piece of the there should be a firm entry
OF ANY KIND
tional esteem for th e highly-lucrative Middle in the Buckingham Palace
monarchy stronger than i n East arms market, they diary: next year in Tel
iconoclastic Fleet Street
have steadfastly refused to Aviv."
the center of the British sell weapons to Israel. Is-
President Herzog, the
newspaper industry, and rael's bid for British Cen- Sunday Telegraph com-
among the toughest of its turion tanks was held up by mented, put the case for
Licensed & Reasonable
hard-boiled newsmen.
successive British govern- closer British-Israeli ties
The great national news- ments for years and the Is- but it would be hard going
DAVE THE ELECTRICIAN
papers consequently con- raeli army has never re- "to change the grip on the
demned the breach of tradi- ceived this combat vehicle. Foreign Office tiller when it
546 5075
tion and usage and casti-
The irritation displayed comes to altering their tra-
gated the Foreign Office against the government by ditional pro-Arab course.
which the Tory Mail on the British press for having Israelis - have certain mis-
Sunday denounced for its permitted the Queen to be conceptions about the
"long and shameful record placed in an embarrassing British, the paper said, but
BILL OLIVER'S
of being anti-Israeli" and of
it reminded the British that
Painting &
being ignorant generally
"Israel is the Middle East's
Wallpapering
about the Middle East.
only true democracy and it
In fact, the newspaper Buckingham
is based faithfully and stub-
20 Years Experience
said in what Whitehall Palace diary
bornly on our own model.
would regard as heresy,
This combination of
References
"seventy percent of Jorda- entry: next year in
strength and freedom," it af-
nian citizens are of Palesti- Tel Aviv.
firmed, "is one which the
nian origin and the world
Free Estimates
West can affront only with
ought to wake up to the fact
peril to itself."
and declare Jordan to be
547 4564
To what extent the new
what it is — the historical position, plus the very
winds
blowing
from
Fleet
national homeland of all the favorable impression made
Street will affect Whitehall
Palestinian people."
in London by President
NEED HELP
The conservative Daily Herzog, may presage some remains to be seen. Only a
Telegraph noted that it had change in British-Israeli re- few days before President
WITH
YOUR
been clear from the outset lations. The press could not Herzog's arrival, Sir Geof-
frey
Howe,
the
Foreign
Sec-
IBM - PC or XT
that the Queen's visit to forget that Herzog was
Jordan would have unusu- Irish-born, the product of a retary, made a policy
ally political overtones but great English university, statement in the House of
stressed that her visit was that he had served in the Commons repeating almost
nothing more or less than British Army and that if he verbatim the position he
Consultation
Britain's clearest expres- were still a British subject has held since he assumed
Instruction
sion of goodwill for an or- would have claim to a title. the cabinet post: peace and
stability
for
Israel
in
ex-
derly kingdom ruled by a
Commenting on Herzog's change for cession of the
Manuel Rosenbaum
good man."
invitation to Queen
territories
occupied
in
1967.
The British-Jordanian Elizabeth, the London Sun-
967-4098
connection has always been day Times noted-that the He repeated his denuncia-
tion
of
Israel's
"continuing
close. Britain was the only reaction has been "a storm
nation to recognize Jordan's of Arab denunciation and and illegal settlements pro-
51—MISCELLANEOUS
annexation of the West an acute flurry of Foreign gram" on the West Bank.
Bank and East Jerusalem Office nail-biting. Every
CONTINENTAL
Airline Certifi-
The Queen will visit Is-
after the 1948 War of Liber- diplomatic instinct patently rael — the time has still to cates. $99 value. 4 to sell — $75
ation during which Jordan's urg6s refusal — or at any be determined — but the in- each — Save 25%. 683-2929.
famed Arab Legion was rate the kind of qualified ac- vitation and the acceptance
commanded by British offi- ceptance that everybody will have an impact on the
FOR SALE
cers serving under Gen. knows will never actually British public's perception
Western Union
John Glubb — Glubb Pasha. produce an agreeable date.
of the Jewish state still
The British subsidy, which
"But this," it warned, colored by the angers and
TELETYPE
was the kingdom's principal "would be wrong. Oil and resentments generated in
Excellent
source of revenue for many sterling deposits are impor- the conflict which preceded
years, continued even after tant. So are invasions of Britain's retreat from
Condition
King Hussein sent Glubb Lebanon and continued oc- Palestine in 1948.
$250
4.
Pasha and his British ad- cupation of the West Bank.
Israel
has
taken
another
visers packing.
But they are insufficient
Call
Anticipating President reasons for putting any step along the long and tor-
Herzog's invitation to the people — particularly those tuous path toward uncondi-
The Jewish News
Queen to visit Israel — no as beleaguered as the Is- tional acceptance in the
424-8833
family
of
nations.
British crowned head has raelis — beyond some kind
ever visited the Jewish of Royal pale.
state — the Daily Telegraph
53—ENTERTAINMENT
"Tens of thousands of
served notice that "the gov- British subjects each year New policy
VERSATILE
sophisticated party
ernment and Buckingham ., visit the Holy Land, do
Los Angeles (JTA) — A music. Call 326-6995.
Palace will now have to give business with Israel and policy providing for accessi-
FREDDY SHEYER. One man
serious consideration to a admire its feats of survival bility for disabled persons at
orchestra. Senior parties. Jewish
first visit by the Queen to and its commitment to major community events,
modern. 661-2357.
Israel." The Queen should democracy. Yet neither the meetings and demonstra-
accept the invitation, the Queen nor any member of tions of the Jewish Federa-
CARTOONS
paper said, but her visit her family has set foot in the tion Council of Los Angeles
CARICATURES
should not take place until place since its inception" it has been implemented here.
BY
after Israel's scheduled pointed out.
JULIUS
elections.
"It is quite improper to
2q3-1723
Britain is, after the suggest that Israel some- Volunteers
FOR ANY OCCASION
United States, Israel's how qualified for perma-
Tel Aviv (ZINS) — Is-
largest trading partner — nent exclusion. It will take
BIRTHDAY PARTIES
something the traditional time and subtle delicacy to rael's kibbutzim, with a
And other Special Occasions.
population of 130,000, an-
Arabists in the Foreign
nually attract some 33,000
273-6716
Office often find it difficult
volunteers from overseas, Clowns, juggling, magic,
to remember. British- Read-in winner
many of them non-Jewish.
music dance, Puppets,
Israeli relations have never
New York — Elissa
been exactly warm —
balloon
sculpture.
British politicians (Labor Ginsburg, a 10-year-old girl
NY memorial
and Tory alike) over the from New Hyde Park, N.Y.
years have, remarkably, is the grand prize winner of
Long Beach, N.Y. (JTA)
FIND IT
shown themselves to be the Jewish Braille Institute — Plans for a Holocaust
of
America's
fourth
"Great
much friendlier to Israel
memorial have been an-
when they are in the opposi- National Jewish Read-In."
IN THE
nounced in Long Beach
tion than when they occupy
In the "Read-In," spon- where a committee has cho-
the government benches. sors pledge contributions to sen a design for a memorial
The British press, by and the JBI for each book read for the square in front of the
large, had been among Is- during a four-week period.
Long Beach City Hall.

-

f

-

cent years. Greater changes
in national attitudes and
policies have emerged in
British history in the past
from lesser causes.
It is almost impossible for
an outsider to understand
the special regard and affec-
tion in which the British
hold their Royal Family and
the determined insistence

Reagan's selective memory

BY DON McEVOY

Friday, April 13, 1984 93

L