The Worst
Scenario:
War With
Israel

s Israel the next target for Saddam Hussein?
Some analysts believe that whether or not he wins
his showdown with the United States over
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the Iraqi leader will seek
a confrontation with Israel.
According to this theory, if Saddam Hussein wins
his Persian Gulf gamble, he will emerge as the leader
of the Arab world and seek a Holy War with the
Jewish state. And if he is forced to back down in the
Gulf, he will attempt to avoid disgrace and isolation
by rallying the Arabs around their common enemy,
Israel, through a confrontation. This would be his
best hope for political redemption in Arab eyes.
Saddam Hussein has a hatred for Zionism and he
has never forgiven Israel for destroying his nuclear
reactor in a surprise air attack nine years ago.
For now, the key area to watch is Jordan, the buf-
fer between Israel and Iraq and a potential supply
and export route for Iraq. King Hussein of Jordan
has supported Saddam Hussein in the past and re-
fused to join those Arab states at the recent summit
who agreed to condemn Iraq.
If Saddam Hussein wants to increase the pressure
on Israel, he could move his troops into Jordan. The
Iraqis and Jordan have a close military alliance and
Iraq helps pay for Jordan's air force.
Israel has announced that such a move would be
considered an act of war. Jordan's border is where
Israel draws the line.
Escalation from that point, though frightening, is
not difficult to imagine. Israeli planes would bomb
Iraqi convoys of tanks and missiles. Iraq would
retaliate with its air force.
Threatened by the knowledge that Israel has
nuclear weapons, Saddam Hussein could launch
chemical warfare against the Jewish state, 'forcing
Israel to consider striking back with nuclear missiles.
Israeli officials are hoping that Saddam Hussein's
logic will prevail over his emotional hatred of the
Jewish state. But a mood not unlike the days prior
to the Six Day War in 1967 has settled in over much
of Israel — a sense of preparation and resolve tinged
with fear.
So far, the only casualty has been tourism, with
reports that some Americans planning to go to Israel
this summer are canceling their plans and others are
calling with questions about gas masks.
But Israelis are not prone to panic. Said one Israeli
lieutenant colonel to a Wall Street Journal reporter:
"So Saddam is crazy. What else is new? The Saudis
and Americans are losing a lot more sleep over this
one than we are:"
— Gary Rosenblatt

I

Unrest in the West Bank: Israeli border police detaining Palestinians after a demonstration supporting the Iraqi
invasion. Graffiti on the wall at right says: "All support for the Iraqis against the Americans."

the Gaza Strip have been named
`Saddam' in honor of Saddam Hussein.
More significantly, Palestinian crowds,
both in the West Bank and in Jordan,
have burned American flags and demon-
strated in favor of the Iraqi dictator.
Many Israelis have also been discon-

Jews Serving
In Gulf Forces

A

merican forces now being trans-
ported to Saudi Arabia include
Jewish troops. Both Jews and
women are among the troops being sent
to deter an Iraqi invasion, according to
Pentagon spokesperson, Air Force
Capt. Sam Grizzle.
Traditionally, Saudi customs have
barred women from full participation
in its society. And, especially since Is-
rael's creation in 1948, Jews have been
barred from Saudi Arabia. Neverthe-
less, there have been occasional excep-
tions to this latter rule.
Capt. Grizzle said the actual number
of Jews and women in the American
forces on Saudi soil is not available nor
is there a readily available breakdown
of the number of members of any reli-
gious groups serving in the entire arm-
ed forces. D_ _
— A.J.M.

certed by the reaction of Jordan's King
Hussein, who opposes American military
intervention on Kuwait's behalf, and has
allowed his southern port of Akaba to be
used to transport goods to blockaded
Iraq. Jordan separates Israel from Iraq,
and Hussein's pro-Baghdad stance has
given rise to speculation that he might al-
low Saddam Hussein's troops to enter his
country.
The overall impact of the Gulf crisis on
Israeli opinion seems to be a plus for the
hawks.
"There is no doubt that I've been in-
fluenced by what's going on out there,"
said Meira, a Tel Aviv housewife. "Until
now I've been in favor of giving back the
territories for peace, but Kuwait was at
peace with Iraq, too. If the PLO held the
West Bank, they'd invite the Iraqis in
and they could bomb us with chemicals."
Throughout the Iraqi-American stand-
off, former Prime Minister Menachem
Begin has been in a Jerusalem hospital
recovering from a fall. It was Begin, nine
years ago, who ordered the destruction of
the Iraqi nuclear facility near Baghdad.
At the time he defended his action by
saying that he couldn't allow "a meshug-
gena" like Saddam Hussein to develop
nuclear weapons.
Although the reclusive Mr. Begin has
said nothing about the current crisis,
many Israelis recall his 1981 decision
with relief.
"At the time I thought the old man was
crazy," said a foreign correspondent who
has covered Israel for many years. "I hate
to admit it, but it turns out he was
right." ❑

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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