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Friday, January 11, 1985
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Sets record straight
Continued from Page 2
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Or take Chad, where the
Arab minions of Colonel Qad-
dafi and his local puppets lay
claim to and occupy a large
swath of Chad's territory —
despite Qaddafi's solemn
pledge to remove his troops.
And Libya's threats, of course,
of continued subversion and
conquest extend well beyond
Chad and threaten other black
African states. So let not the
nations of black Africa be
side-tracked by the Arab cam-
paign of vilification against Is-
rael. Let them look not only to
their south for what should
properly arouse their indigna-
tion but to their north as well.
The preposterous assertions
in the special report do not
merit a response, but I will
choose for the sake of illustra-
tion one example: the accusa-
tion of Israel's extensive trade
with South Africa. The facts of
the matter are well known,
even to — and perhaps espe-
cially to — our accusers. Is-
rael's trade with South Africa,
like its trade with other coun-
tries, does not imply a blanket
endorsement of that country's
policies, or else the United
States would be taken to
endorse the policies of the
Soviet Union, the Soviet Union
those of West Germany, Brit-
ain those of Libya and-gti on.
What should at once strike a
fair-minded observer is that
Israel is being singled out in a
ludicrous fashion. For Israel's
trade with South Africa is so
modest as to be scarcely visi-
ble, amounting — according to
the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) figures — to less
than one-half of one percent of
exports and three-quarters of
one percent of imports. Nearly
20 countries trade more exten-
sively with the Union of South
Africa.
And what of that large por-
tion of South Africa's trade,
roughly a quarter of it, that
conveniently remains un-
specified? This covers up the
substantial commerce that
takes place between South Af-
rica and the Soviet bloc, but
especially the massive trade
with Arab countries.
Arab oil exports to South Af-
rica amount to over $1 billion a
year. This makes the Arabs
among the biggest exporters to
South Africa. Israel, with a
paltry $129 million, fades into
insignificance. Indeed, Arab
oil exports to South Africa are
at least ten times as great as all
of Israel's exports to that coun-
try ...
The Psalmist could be quoted
that "the truth sprouts forth from
the earth." Let it apply to the
Netanyahu task of demolishing
libels and cleansing the record of
untruths.
Ethiopian tragedy:
Secrecy supersedes
spreading the news
Perhaps ten years ago, at a con-
vention of the American Jewish
Press Association when the im-
passioned involved in efforts to
rescue Ethiopian Jews demanded
unlimited publicity in their ef-
forts, Yehuda Dominitz made an
appearance in behalf of the Israel
government pleading for caution
and limited propaganda in the
matter. His argument was that
Ethiopians must be rescued
quietly, lest the unfriendly rulers
of their native land interfere and
prevent action in their behalf.
What was true then proved cor-
rect now and Dominitz may be a
victim of failure to recognize the
need for unacclaimed action in
behalf of unfortunates.
In a sense, the Israeli judgment
in the matter may prove correct
and the Israeli newspapers are to
be commended for their coopera-
tion in the developing situation.
It's a pity that a craving for notor-
iety should be causing trouble for
the Ethiopian rescue effort.
Now it is to be hoped that the
task of transporting the Ethio-
pian Jews to Israel will somehow
continue. Jewish and world sym-
pathy and cooperation supports
this obligatory task.
NEWS
on
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1985
7:30 p.m. Reception
8:00-9:30 p.m. Program
at
Mkt Day School
32200 Middlebelt, Farmington Hills, MI 48018
851-2394
For parents of children entering Kindergarten or 1st Grade - Fall 1985
No child will be denied an education at Hillel because of parents inability to
pay the full charges. Tuition allowances will continue to be granted on
individual needs. Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit admits Jewish
children of any race, color, national or ethnic origin. Its admission and
scholarship programs are non discriminatory.
Famine relief continues
New York (JTA) — The Ameri-
can Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee reported that its non-
sectarian program for famine re-
lief in Ethiopia is continuing.
The JDC said tha since its ef-
forts began on Nov. 1, 82 tons of
clothing, cloth, blankets,
medicine and medical supplies
have been distributed in the
Wollo and Bale provinces and
other areas affected by the
famine.
To date, the JDC has received
an estimated $2 million worth of
cash and goods, with $961,275 in
cash received since the JDC
"opened its mailbox" to contribu-
tions.
The JDC has also received per-
mission to operate feeding sta-
tions in the Gondar region, and is
engaged in negotiations with the
Agency for International De-
velopment to obtain U.S. surplus
foods that would be provided to
the feeding stations.
Persons who wish to make con-
tributions can make their checks
payable to the JDC and mail them
to Ethiopian Relief, c/o JDC,
Room 1914, Dept. M, 60 E. 42nd
St., New York 10165.