I EDITORIAL A Sense Of Shame The news from Israel has been disturbing for some time now, with violent Arab demonstrations in Gaza and the West Bank and subse- quent reprisals by the Israeli army an almost daily occurrence. But this week's declaration from Jerusalem of a public policy of beating Palestinians to stop the protests, and reports of security forces car- rying out that policy with two-by-fours on men, women and children, is inhumane and indefensible. It is a policy of frustration. That frustration is understandable. Israel is being blamed for a Palestinian problem it did not create, but was rather the result of callous and calculated disregard by the Arab states for their brethren who have been used as human pawns. "We are not allowed to kill, we are not allowed to expel, we are not allowed to beat;' Prime Minister Shamir said on Israeli televi- sion the other night. "You ask yourself what we are allowed to do. Only to be killed, only to be wounded, only to be defeated. "The U.N. Security Council has never been convened because of the murder of Jews," he added. All of that is true, and his — and his government's — bitter frustration over world hypocrisy is understandable. This is not a polite debate over utopian society, this is the Mideast, this is war. "Israel is not a summer camp for American Jews," asserted Prof. Daniel Elazar in Jerusalem. "We have to live here!' He and other Israelis voiced their resentment to Israeli Correspondent Helen Davis (See story, Page 1) over being lectured to by outsiders, including American Jewish leaders. It is also true that media coverage and criticism of Israel has been exaggerated. But we must not use criticism of the media as a convenient crutch. The most disturbing stories of Palestinians be- ing pulled out of their homes in the night and beaten by Israeli securi- ty forces are being reported extensively by daily newspapers in Israel. No one is denying that they are true. If the partnership between Diaspora Jews and Israel is genuine, if Jerusalem cares about our hearts as well as our pockets, then we must be able to tell her when we are ashamed. She need not heed our advice, but she should listen and know that it comes from anguish, not anger. We seek to speak with logic and a sense of Jewish tradition. The logic suggests that the only reason for an "iron fist" policy is to sup- press the Arab uprisings and create an atmosphere for negotiations. But we need look no further than our own history to understand that beating people into submission often strengthens their resolve to resist. Logic suggests that an Israel dependent on American finan- cial aid has been supported for her democratic and moral ideals, and when those ideals are weakened, so is the basis for support. And logic suggests that one cannot impose one's will on a hostile popula- tion forever without paying a terrible price to one's national soul. There is no symmetry in the Mideast. Arabs use terror, and murder women and children. But Jews cannot. Our tradition teaches us how to treat others, to put ourselves in their place. House beatings and broken bones are not the way. They reflect a level of anger and frustration that is understandable but unforgivable. Fo r v itel I SRA_E_L:1 :i. . _ yI • 11W"'""' LETTERS iWo Sides To The Story Recent news coverage of the situation in Israel continues to be filled with half-truths and dangerous distortions. The American public does not remember that Israelis became occupiers because they were defending them- selves from attacks by Jor- dan, Egypt and Syria. Noth- ing is said about how much the Israelis have improved living conditions in the ter- ritories and therefore con- tributed to the high Arab birthrate. The news media report that Israel will not allow food trucks into the occupied areas and forget to mention that the Arab stores are well stocked, but will not open because the riot organizers want world sympathy. No one wants to see any in- nocent person suffer, but the media's broadcasts of lies will not help to bring an end to 6 FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1988 the complex situation. Every decent person has a responsibility to write to newspapers, magazines and television networks to protest the disservice being done to Israel because it allows freedom to newspeople. The Syrians did not let the West- ern press take pictures when they slaughtered 10,000 of their own people in one of their major cities! Marlene Gitelman Southfield Sound Advice For Israel Gary Rosenblatt's Analysis ("Bolster Israel's Case" Jan. 15) offers some sound advice to the government of Israel. Point 6 recommends that its consuls general should re- spond, through letters to the editor and op-ed articles, to the press coverage in the ma- jor dailies. These, by and large, ignore the facts that the Arab na- tions kill off more Arabs, gave the individual Arabs far less of an opportunity for self- determination, education, health services and economic opportunity than they obtain under Israel domination. Morton Hack West Bloomfield No Need For New Judaism As I read through "Without God" (Jan. 15), I was so look- ing forward to your "new ap- proach" on loving your neighbor, developing one's character, community con- tributions and the like. Where do these aspects fit into your Sholem Aleichem Institute, Workmen's Circle and the Birmingham Temple? It seems like most of the emphasis of these organiza- tions is on the importance of speaking Yiddish, rationaliz- ing intermarriage and confor- ming Judaism to one's desires. It would be very nice if the Jewish people and the media, including The Jewish News, would spend more time and energy living the positives of prayer and mitzvot instead of creating negatives. There is really no need to keep creating, conforming, and promoting these new ideas of Judaism. All you really have to do is in- dulge in lbrah, a successful 3,000-year-old concept. Like the old saying goes, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Aviva Bards Farmington Hills Important Components In "Without God," you men- tioned that I am a member of Workmen's Circle Branch 1088 and the New Jewish Agenda. However, you did not include that my wife, Alice, and I are members of Temple Emanu-El, information I did provide during my interview. And as our temple involve- ment indicates, we are not secular Jews. As your article states, a number of Branch 1088 members belong to syna- gogues. For Alice and I, both Workmen's Circle and Ibmple Emanu-El are important components of our lives as Jews. We value the political foundation of Workmen's Cir- cle as well as the spiritual/ religious aspect of Judaism provided by Temple Emanu- El, and see significant con- nections between the two. David Hecker Huntington Woods Let Us Know Letters must be concise, typewritten and double- spaced. Correspondence must include the signa- ture, home address and daytime phone number of the writer.