I PURELY COMMENTARY
When Jews Wer e Homeless And Arab Students Jeered
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor Emeritus
E
choes of an era when anti-Semi-
tism equated to anti-Zionism
among university students who
fell under the influence of an Arab hate
propaganda machine reverberate anew
in academia. The campuses are filled
again with appeals to hate under the
guide of anti-Zionism which promptly
becomes evident as anti-Jew.
It is a tragic fact which cannot be
ignored. It existed in pre-Israel times
when Zionism was an aim for fulfill-
ment of Prophecy in what was
Palestine. It continued at the founding
of the Jewish State and the realization
of the Zionist dream. It is now a con-
tinuity in the form of rioting and
renewal of sentiments such as "Hitler
did not complete the job." It is the
undeniable to deny that which could be
catastrophic.
There were numerous appeals for
justice to the Jew, for help in his strug-
gle to end Jewish homelessness in the
tragic years of mass murders and
persecutions.
There was an early incident on the
University of Michigan campus.
Maurice Samuel was addressing a
group of students in Ann Arbor. He
pleaded for the libertarian ideals of our
people. As usual at such gatherings,
many Arabs came to express their an-
tagonism. As Samuel spoke, he was
Maurice Samuel
hissed and insulted. Then, when he
mentioned the murder of several Jewish
farmers in a collective Palestinian set-
tlement, he was jeered and an Arab
spokesman shouted: "What are you cry-
ing about? Many people are killed hour-
ly, everywhere, and no one sheds tears."
Whereupon Samuel commented: "One
Jew was killed 2,000 years ago, and the
world hasn't forgotten yet."
Perhaps such arguments no longer
prove convincing. The trusim to
remember in the present situation is
that, when campus antagonism was
displayed in the early years of Israel's
redemption, the hatred was not over
"occupied territories." It was a hate for
Jews who were rebuilding a neglected
area that was being redeemed as Israel.
It was a cry to prevent any effort by
Jews to end homelessness and anti-
Semitism in a return to the ancient
homeland they were redeeming and
rebuilding. It was an opposition to any
foothold by any Jew in the ancient
homeland.
That's what it has remained: a con-
tinued rejection of Jewish life anywhere
in Eretz Israel.
That's what every outcry is now
from stonethrowers who induce rioting,
from the leadership that is PLO, from
the developing anti-Semitism. They
talk about "occupied territories" but
they mean all of the redeemed Israel
when they shout "get out" in the pre-
sent tragic period in our history.
Such cries commenced long ago. It
is the same aim. It is the same now
when there are four million Jews in
Israel, on a par when there were
120,000 in the early years of Jewish
Palestine.
Therefore the stupidity on the part
of Israel's enemies to believe they can
destroy an autonomous state and its
millions of Jewish citizens. Such
destructive aims are not attainable. But
they demand recognition of the reality
of proposals like those placed on the
agenda by U.S. Secretary of State
George Schultz. They need serious con-
The Continuing Political Agenda
p
olitics and politicians are
always on the agenda. Chapter
1888, now in its heat as a
presidential campaign, commenced
many months ago. It has gained
momentum and the many issues under
discussion again will include concern
over foreign affairs, with an emphasis
on the Middle East and Israel.
The obligated, dedicated citizen
does not limit his concerns. There are
the domestic interests and the foreign
involvements are global.
There are the homeless and the
aged to be provided for, the children to
be properly educated, want and suffer-
ing to be obviated. The politicians dare
to ignore the needs. Therefore, the
media play their great role, discussants
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Vol. XCIII No. 2
2
March 11, 1988
FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1988
of the issues delve into the causes that
demand action and the many millions
of words to be uttered and the articles
and books certain to appear in print are
the compulsory elements in the ensu-
ing debates and analyses of the issues
and concerns that already are
dominating the political platforms.
The American Jewish Committee
entered the political arena with an
elaborate account of the candidates and
their approaches to the issues that af-
fect the nation in all aspects of life and
in relation to world affairs. In a pam-
phlet of 77 pages — it is really a book
content-wise — the American Jewish
Committee's staff has compiled the
assembled viewpoints under the
general title The Candidates on the
Issues — Presidential Election 1988. It
introduces the candidates and quotes
their attitudes on the major challenges
to the nation. It is a guidebook that can
prove more valuable than when the can-
didates are listened to on radio and
television — because, compactly
studied, the candidates appear sen-
timentally and factually to be judged
when the ballots are cast.
Support for Israel regardless of
party affiliation is among the most im-
portant opinion consensus indicated in
responses from the presidential
candidates.
Then there is unanimity in defense
of action to assure the right of Soviet
Jews to emigrate and to seek homes
elsewhere.
sideration and much testing. They
should not be buried in an Israeli
leadership divisiveness.
All the sensationism about Jewish
attitudes is becoming regrettable. Of
course, Jews have a right and a duty to
criticize, to challenge. But at the root of
it is the basic truism: Israel must not,
as it will not, be destroyed. Instead, it
must have added strength to carry on
a battle for survival. There must be the
realization that the struggle is against
the aim of the would-be destroyers to
demolish the entire Israeli statehood,
not merely to diminish the territories
now occupied by some 60,000 settlers.
Would that the media understood it!
There are too many evidences of pre-
judices in news and editorial data. The
proof of it is overwhelming. There was
one such element of proof when Palesti-
nians lynched one of their own. It was
such a shocking occurrence. But news
of it was buried in inside pages of
newspapers while, in the same editions,
there were hate-inspiring photos show-
ing an Israeli soldier grasping a young
Arab rockthrower by his hair.
There is need for action, and peace
aims must not be treated with ridicule.
There should be an end to reports ting-
ed with anti-Jewish discrimination.
There will hopefully be a powerful
Israeli and Jewish unity aimed at sup-
porting the U.S. role for peace and in-
spiring the widest participation in it to
benefit Arabs as well as Jews. The lat-
ter point is the most important of all.
The Current Testing
There is consensus on U.S. coopera-
tion with Israel and commitment to ad-
vancing it. There are differing views on
methods of advancing the peace efforts
and relations with the Arabs. Also,
there are differing opinions on who is
to participate in an international peace
conference on the Middle East and
Israel.
The human rights issue elicits con-
siderable interest.
While the Democrats oppose school
prayers, the Republicans support volun-
tary prayers or moments of silence in
the schools.
The AJC pamphlet was premature
in its treatment of the Israel position.
The rioting may have caused reversal.
As the candidates were confronted with
challenges on the current conditions
that are causing so much agony for
Jewry and Israel, they began to com-
pete as to who was first to reject
"beatings." Now there is a measure of
condemnation of Israel by the politi-
cians. As the campaign progresses, it'll
be interesting to learn to what extent
there will be flattering and how much
condemning will emerge.
Jesse Jackson may again become
the severest critic of Israel. Others may
be faced with accusations of tongue-in-
cheek acting.
The Democratic procedure now is to
condemn the Reagan Administration
for having failed to pursue the Presi-
dent Jimmy Carter policy inaugurated
at Camp David in the quest for peace.
The American Jewish Committee
provides the basic material for study of
the issues and the candidates dabbling
in them in their competitive fashion.
The large brochure is a textbook for the
current campaign.
The New Republic provided an ad-
dendum to this study and analyses by
Morton M. Kondracke, one of its senior
editors, in an article entitled "Mideast
Mush." The views of the candidates on
Israel are extensively quoted here, all
similar in positive fashion to those in
the AJCommittee pamphlet. Perhaps
there is a bit of cynicism in questions
by Kondracke, who concludes:
If there is ever to be peace in
the Middle East, it will probably
take a tough, smart U.S. ad-
ministration to help bring it to
pass — tough enough to get
Israel to give up land for peace,
smart enough to get the Arabs
to give peace for less land than
they want. It would be nice if the
next president also were as
forthright and moral as Bruce
Babbitt in speaking out about
Israeli misdeeds, but brains and
courage in peace diplomacy are
far more important. Do any of
the candidates fit the bill? Not
so's you can tell from what they
say.
Already there are judgements and
some of the candidates are challenged
Continued on Page 40