0 'Won
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Dry Bones
UN conscionable, UNjust
not undermine credibility for U.N.
rri-f6 u.K).
he Jewish world really didn't need anoth-
troops around the world.
why
the
United
of
er demonstration
SASS SAT
The months in which the U.N. officials
Nations cannot be a fair and trustworthy
insisted no tape existed suggest that the
organization for promoting peace in the
organization was involved in a deliberate
SAVE
Mideast. But if Jewry needed a reminder of that
cover-up of information that could have
1T16
fact, the U.N.'s handling of a videotape touching on
helped not just Israel, but also the families
the kidnapping of three Israeli soldiers on the
of the kidnapped soldiers. How "neutral"
Lebanese border last year would have been a fine
is that?
example.
In brief, an Indian soldier, assigned to the U.N.
forces monitoring the Israel-Lebanon border after
U.N. 's Ways Need Fixing
the IDF withdrawal, made a videotape about eight
Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat
hours after Hezbollah guerrillas seized the three
keeps calling for international monitors,
men. The tape shows the cars the guerrillas used
presumably U.N. troops, to supervise how
and, more importantly, the faces of Hezbollah mem-
well each side is carrying out its agree-
bers who had surrounded the U.N. troops to block
ments under the current cease-fire plan. If
removal of the cars.
the incident with the videotape is any pre-
After months of denying that it had the tape,
dictor of future U.N. behavior,
U.N. officials, under pressure because still
Israel will be well advised to
photos allegedly taken from the tape had
hold firm against allowing that
been shown on television, finally acknowl-
fox to guard this chicken coop.
edged its existence. But they said it would
American Jews were staunch supporters
violate their neutrality if they allowed Israelis to see
of the United Nations when it was found-
the faces of men who may have been involved in the
ed, not just because of its vote to partition
kidnapping.
the Palestine of the British mandate, but
It is a totally specious argument.
more largely because of its potential to
The United Nations sent the troops to the border
advance peace globally. But the institution
with the specific mandate of "restoring international
has allowed itself to be co-opted by the
peace and security" after Israel's withdrawal. The
tyrants and dictators who want to use it
videotape helps affirm the criminal violation of that
for political purposes rather than to pro-
peace and security; the U.N. should be duty bound
mote true harmony. Its efforts at peace-
It may be too early to write off the U.N. entirely,
to act on that evidence, not to suppress it.
making have been faltering; the massacres in Kosovo
but
unless it mends its ways, it will find that some
Hezbollah is not the government of Lebanon.
and Rwanda, to cite two recent examples, came as
of its past best friends will become outspoken oppo-
Helping unmask criminal activity by the group is
U.N. troops sat on their hands.
nents. It could begin to repair some of the damage
not a violation of law or of the professed neutrality,
And the body has never given up its mindless
by simply handing over to Israeli investigators the
but rather a duty imposed on the U.N.
rejection of all things Israeli. Although the "Zionism
unedited videotape that it has been sitting on for so
Even more outrageous is the fact that the guerril-
Is Racism" resolution was later rescinded, a coming
many months.
las apparently posed as U.N. troops to lure the
U.N. conference in South Africa is preparing to
three soldiers into their trap. Yet the U.N. seems
revive the substance of that position.
totally unconcerned by the imposture — as if it did
POOT
A
vID6o pF
KIDNAPPING.
EDIT ORIAL
Send Yourself To Israel
I
n August, I will be one of three participants
from metro Detroit going to Israel for 10
months on the Jewish Federation-sponsored
Project Otzma service fellowship program.
People are usually full of praise and amazement
when they learn of my participation, but another
reaction I've heard is disturbing. They want to
know, "Why are you going to Israel, of all places,
when so much violence has occurred there recent-
ly? Why not stay in the United States where it is
safe?"
Rachel Rosenthal of Franklin recently graduated from
the University of Michigan with a bachelor of arts
degree in studies in religion.
say we support Israel, what do we do
American Jewry has become very good
when we hear of such incidents?
at writing checks. An organization needs
money to function, a new school needs
Making It Personal
to be built, others in our community
Of course, we are saddened and outraged
need help, we want our name on a build-
by such acts, so we send condolences to
ing, so we come through with the money.
the victims and their families. Yet at the
And yes, that mitzvah is very important.
same time, many of us think the only
But other mitzvot, just as important, also
response is writing another check. We
need to be performed.
won't do the personal thing, of going to
We can't live in a box anymore, com-
RACHEL
Israel to be with our fellow Jews.
fortable with the idea of Israel's secure
ROSENTHAL
Instead, we cancel teen tours and drop
existence. Recent events have made it
Community
out
of missions, saying to ourselves,
very clear that this is a false sense of
Views
"Well,
I heard it isn't safe in Israel, so I
comfort. Within the last few months, a
bomb went off in a shopping mall and
COMMUNITY VIEWS on page 28
another in a disco. Now, as American Jews who
AV
7/13
2001
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