24
CLOSE-UP
Palestinian
Pipeline
ELIZABETH KAPLAN
U.S. Palestinian groups
are raising funds and influence.
48
EDUCATION
Informal High
HEIDI PRESS
Shir Tikvah's Sunday high school
is developing close-knit commitment.
56
BUSINESS
Red Wings
To Wallpaper
MIKE ROSENBAUM
Sports photography and wallpaper
are the business mix for John Hartman.
Israel's Snapirit missile patrol hydrofoil.
Criticism Of Israel Arms Sales
Ignores Reality, Strategic Goals
MITCHELL BARD
I
n recent years, there has been concern
expressed in the American Jewish
community as well as in Israel over the
image that has evolved of Israel as an in-
ternational arms merchant.
Rather than debate the wisdom of arms
sales as a foreign policy tool, however, some
people have attacked Israel's actions and
used them as a means of questioning
Israel's legitimacy. Benjamin Beit-
Hallahmi's book, The Israeli Connection
(Pantheon Books), indicates that he is one
of those people.
Israel has at least four good reasons for
exporting military equipment. First, the
Arab boycott limits the markets that are
available for Israel to sell its non-military
goods. When it comes to purchasing
military equipment, fewer countries can be
blackmailed by the Arabs. In addition,
countries that buy Israel's arms usually do
not need Israel's other exports.
Second, there is a substantial demand
for Israeli weapons. Israeli arms have earn-
ed a reputation for quality and have been
proven effective on the battlefield.
Third, arms sales are an important
facet of Israeli foreign policy. Many coun-
tries that will not openly deal with Israel
have accepted weapons or military train-
ing. Sometimes, as was the case in
Cameroon and Zaire, these military ties
pave the way for the restoration of
diplomatic relations.
Fourth, arms sales can be used as a way
of helping the United States to further its
interests and, hence, repay America for its
support.
Dr. Mitchell Bard is a foreign policy analyst
in Washington, D.C.
The last point is perhaps the most con-
troversial, particularly after the Iran-
Contra affair. Beit-Hallahmi criticizes
Israel's cooperation with the United States
in arming Iran and Nicaragua, but it is
clear that what disturbs him is not the
sales themselves as much as the countries
involved. He does not understand why
Israel supports pro-Western regimes and
opposes Arab radicalism.
In the case of Latin America, Israel has
a long history of friendship based on those
countries' support for partition. The fact
that arms sales per se is not what disturbs
Beit-Hallahmi is evident from his failure
to mention that Saudi Arabia also armed
the Contras at the request of the U.S. while
the PLO was simultaneously supplying aid
to the Sandinistas. Beit-Hallahmi views
Israel's behavior as self-evidently immoral,
but those who believe in a strong Israel-U.S.
relationship would probably disagree.
Beit-Hallahmi believes Israel is a col-
onialist state that dispossessed the Palesti-
nians and is bent on preventing decoloniza-
tion in the Arab and African states. "Col-
onialism means living by exploiting
others," Israeli scholar Yehoshofat Harkabi
has explained, "but what could be further
from colonialism that the idealism of city-
dwelling Jews who strive to become
farmers and laborers and to live by their
own work?" Israel could hardly prevent
decolonialization of the Arab world since
many of the Arab states were independent
before Israel was established.
Perhaps Israel's greatest diplomatic
successes, resulting from its military (and
economic) aid program, have occurred in
black Africa. Beit-Hallahmi dismisses
Israel's long record of assistance to the con-
tinent, however, as a CIA plot to penetrate
Continued on Page 10
59
TRAVEL
A Fair
For Afar
Jewish destinations were the theme
for the recent community travel fair.
63
ENTERTAINMENT
Sure Bette!
STEVEN M. HARTZ
Mayim Bialik
shines in
`Beaches'
as the
young
Bette
Midler.
82
GENERATIONS
Carving
Friendships
RICHARD PEARL
The Senior Wood Carvers
have crafted more than artwork.
DEPARTMENTS
30
34
38
42
44
54 For Women
85 Engagements
Inside Washington
Media Monitor
Life In Israel
Community
Synagogues
90
Births
92 Teens
95 Single Life
122 Obituaries
52 Sports
CANDLELIGHTING
6:06 p.m.
March 3, 1989
Sabbath ends Mar. 4 7:11 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7