PURELY COMMENTARY LJ LJ LJ SOUTHFIELD 4 A FAMILY AFFAIR ❑ a variety of homes in every style and price range ❑ central location with easy access to all major freeways ❑ rich community life ❑ warm, friendly neighborhoods ❑ award-winning City services and recreational facilities ❑ a school system nationally- recognized for excellence For more information: City of Southfield Housing and Neighborhood Center, 354 4400 - Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. SOUTHFIELD The Center of It All RODNICK BROS., INC. Baskets HAPPY HOLIDAYS! L'CHAYIM BASKETS MAZEL TOV! GIFTS THANK YOU, LOVE YOU * JUST CALL * tiC±D, 772-4350 DELIVERY NATIONWIDE WE'RE NUMBER ONE! Eye Examinations Ultimate Eyewear Custom Contact Lenses Dr. M. Gottesman • Dr. M. Weishaus Optometrists Applegate Square Northwestern Hwy. (between 12 & 13 Mile Road) 44 Call 358-2920 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1991 Demand For Fact Dominance To Be Multilateral PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor Emeritus Virith "bilateral" Middle East ap- proaches to peace turning into "multilateral" commitments, it is hoped that the meetings will also aim for fact dominance. The new approach is in large measure a commence- ment of the realization of the appeals by Israel and the world Jewish communities for direct Arab-Jewish negotiations involving their many conflicts. The experi- ences thus far have been af- fected by severe bitterness. It is because most of that sadness continues to be caused by hatreds to be dissolved that new duties dominate the approaches to the quest for amity. Our concern is the spreading of prejudice on a world scale to deny basic Jewish rights in the Land of Israel and the advocacy of the destruction of the State of Israel. Biblical prophecies are ridiculed and Israel as Jewish state is defiled. The very basis of Jewish con- tinuity has been ignored. Misrepresentation of historical facts was condon- ed most regrettably in the media and in diplomacy. It, therefore, became necessary to plead for truth during this century. On several occa- sions during these decades, I responded to the demand for actual historical data. The compulsion continues to in- dicate how the Holy Land, continuing as Israel, was ruled during 2000 years. The truth is that, in recorded history, Palestine was never ruled by an Arab government; that the Arab caliphates who ruled Palestine were foreign Moslem rulers who can claim 432 years of domina- tion as compared with 2000 years of Jewish rule. Hebrew rule lasted for 664 years, from 1250 BCE to 586 BCE. The Babylonian con- quest lasted only 48 years — 586 to 538 BCE. The autonomy of the Hebrews was then renew- ed for 205 years — 538 to 333 BCE. Then _came a period of 270 years of Greek rule — 333 to 63 BCE — but it in- cluded 83 of local Jewish autonomy that began with Judah the Maccabee until the destruction of the Se- cond Temple, 153 BCE to 70 CE. Roman rule lasted for 458 years — 63 BCE to 395 CE — and it included 12 years of Jewish autonomy under Bar Kochba, 130 to 142 CE. Then came the period of changing rulerships in the present era, with the limited domination under Arabs: Byzantine rule of 239 years, 395 to 634. The 438-year rule of the Arabs, 634 to 1072: Cali- phates of Mecca, 636 to 661; Damascus, 661 to 750; Ab- basids, 750 to 870; Our concern is the spreading of prejudice on a world scale to deny basic Jewish rights in the Land of Israel. Fatimites, 969 to 1071. Seldukes (Mongolians) rules followed for 24 years, 1072 to 1096. The Crusaders followed for 192 years, 1099 to 1291, with the Ayyubides in domination from 1175 to 1291. . For 225 years thereafter, 1291 to 1516, the Mamelouks (Mongolians) were in control of Palestine. The Ottomans (Turks) dominated the Holy Land for 402 years, 1516 to 1918, and the British Mandate, preceding the rebirth of Israel, followed it for 30 years, from 1918 to 1948. These are the facts — in- dicating that Arabs ruled Palestine for only 438 years, as compared with the uninterrupted Jewish rule of the land for 964 years. "Foreign experts" have been misleading the world by referring to "Jewish in- vaders," and to the Arab propagandists who would deny the State of Israel the right to its existence. Such are facts that de- mand honest and just con- sideration in diplomacy and in the media. They certainly must not be overlooked by the Arab nations. They must be emphasized in Jewish treatment of the issues whenever and wherever they may arise. Therefore, the demand upon all in the multilateral discussions: Keep these factual truths in mind and let them help you in leading to peace! .4 Documentation Benefits - -• The interest created in the recollection of a book in Yiddish published by the Jewish Welfare Federation keeps glorifying the occur- rence. In addition to the news from Sharon Alterman, Jew- ish Federation archivist, that the volume by Samuel Weinberg is now a part of our historiography, George "Mike" Zeltzer, prominent Federation leader, informs me that the Weisberg book is one of his cherished Yiddish collections. He states that his vast Yiddish library always remains intact. There are other inter- esting comments. For exam- ple, our admired bib- liographer Leonard N. Simons believes that the 1940 book should be provid- ed in an English translation. We both agree that "Mike" Zeltzer, an acknowledged Yiddishist, could be an excelent translator. ❑ Imm i NEWS I mm "... Israeli Jets Bomb Terrorists Tel Aviv (JTA) — Israel air force jets bombed a Palestin- ian terrorist base in eastern Lebanon last week and returned safely to their bases, a military spokesman announced. It was the first Israeli air raid over Lebanon in a mon- th, and according to sources in Lebanon, was carried out by four Phantom jets firing air-to-ground missiles. Israeli sources identified the target as a base used by Ahmed Jabril's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine- General Com- mand to launch incursions against the Israel Defense Force and its allied South Lebanon Army in the southern Lebanon security zone. It was located near Sultan Yakub in the Syrian- controlled Bekaa Valley. Two terrorists were killed and two Lebanese news pho- tographers were wounded. 4 . _4 4 IMO • 4 4