Pane 4-Wednesday, August, 1980-The Michigan Daily
Who needs a second
Palestinian homeland?
The Daily's July 30th editorial
Edt ad managed by;students entitled "Israel must begin with-
at the t niersy of ]ichigan drawal" is based on a number of
factual errors fed by the factual
misrepresentations included in
the latest anti-Israel U.N.
resolution. Let's remember the
'dstatement of Abba Eban, the past
Israeli Ambassador to the U.N.:
If a declaration that the earth is
flat would serve the purpose of
1 iythe Arab-Communist U.N. allian-
ce, it would easily pass as a
U.N. resolution.
HAT JOHNNY and Joanie cannot read is not Fact: Israel has already with-
questioned. That high school graduates have drawn from about half the
trouble with basic grammar is not news. That sen- territories it occupied in 1967,
tences which begin with "that" are awkward is following several agreements
also not alarming. What is distressing is the fact with-Egypt and Syria. Israel is
that University of Michigan students, who have also committed to withdraw from
about 90 per cent of the occupied
always considered themselves an intelligent lot, territories, according to a time-
may be obsessed with delusions of grandeur. table contained in the Egyptian-
-This is well-evidenced by some glaring examples Israeli peace agreement. Sc
of widespread, almost pornographic, abuse of the much for the mistaken call:
English language. On the main floor of the UGLI, "Israel must begin an orderly
there is a suggestion board, and on that board are accup manent withdrawal from
tacked some startling but entertaining demon-
strations of University students' incompetence. FACT- THE PLO existed and
For instance, a student wanted to know if the was headed by Arafat several
library could "update government pamplets." We years before the 1967 war in
don't know why not, though students would never which Israel occupied the West
know unless they enquire. Bank and Gaza. The PLO even;
Another began a message this way: "I know this then performed terrorist attacks
.s . ,,T u r . .on Israel but did not fight for a
is repitiive . . . Though repititive, it surely "Palestinian homeland" in the
warrants a risponse. West Bank and Gaza. Why? In-
Some library-goers have trouble with construe- deed, why? Answer: The West
tion: "It is a hassle when you see piles of used Bank was then part of Jordan,
books to sort through them and to find your book and all of Jordan is Palestine,
isn't there anyways." We, too, have faced this according to Arafat, according to
the PLO covenant and according
problem not only to us and others as well. to every other Palestinian. Yes,
One student made mention of ". . . the number of virginia, there already exists a
flys present ... " This appears to be a person who Palestinian state (called Jor-
crys and whinnys about everything. Another dan): All of Jordan is on the land
student began her suggestion with the following: prisingin effe 7 stpe cent of
"After a full nights sleep. . . " Now, this gram- the original British mandate, and
matical problem is not the librarys, her teachers, most of its inhabitants are (what
her parents, but hers. else?) Palestinians. True, it is
Library lighting is often a popular object of ruled by King Hussein and not by
Arafat; but only because Hussein
criticism: While maintaining the lights over the defeated Arafat in a bloody civil
collections, lavoratories.. ." This person was war in September,1970.
probably the one to ask "to go to the labatory" as a So please do not "empathize
child. with the plight of the
Another patron had one very simple request in Palestinians, who only want ... a
light of the energy crisis: "Could not the library be homeland." They already do
more energy conscientious?" Anyone with a con- have a homeland called Jord n
scious knows that it is "energy conscience"-ex- is now called IsraeL If you don't
cept for the person who described his complaints as believe it, here is a recent quote
being "above the level of consious perception." from Arafat: "The eradication of
We hope the suggestions are still up. We urge you Israel from the map will serve as
to peruse and study them. With detached a guideline to the PLO and as a
working program to which the
amusement but dismay, we have decided to con- PLO will be fully dedicated"
lude this: University students cannot write (N.Y. Times, May 29, 1980). So
correctly, either in spelling or grammattically, don't expect the Palestinians to
either. "respect the right of Israel to
maintain defensible borders."
Also, is there any wonder why the
Arab-sponsored U.N. resolution
Editorial poicies omitted all mention of Isra's
Euit ria po icie rihtaandsecurity? Why should
Israel heed this illegal U.N.
resolution? And how come the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, where
Unsigned editorials appearing on the the Jews are a heavy majority
left side of this page represent a majority (anaveben the aorio
opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board. for self-determination? The UN.
resolution calls on tens of
By Raoul Kopelman
thousands of Jews to move out of
their homes in East Jerusalem.
Should Jews who live in East
Jerusalem become refugees
again? The U.N. calls now for
repatriation of Palestinian
refugees and for the uprooting of
Jews, most of whom are refugees
from Arab countries.
Since one Palestinian
homeland already exists under
the rule of King Hussein, the only
argument is whether the West
Bank Palestinians, who are Jor-
danian citizens, should instead
'How come the
inhabitants of Jerusalem,
where the Jews are a
heavy majority (and have
been the majority for a
century or longer) have
no right for self-
determination?'
form a second Palestinian state
ruled by Arafat. Such a second
state would be a big step towards.
the destruction of the State of
Israel. In Munich, Oct. 1938,
Hitler got from the Western
leaders "self determination" for
the Sudeten-Germans who lived
in an area of vital strategic im-
portance for Czechoslovakia.
Within six months all of
Czechoslovakia had been
overrun by German troops. This
was the end of a free, brave and
democratic small state. The sur-,
vivors are still slaves to this day.
Israel rightly refuses to follow
this path.
THE DAILY'S EDITORIAL
says: "Once Israel recognizes
the right of a Palestinian
homeland, the Palestinians must
respect the right of Israel . .."
Israel has long ago recognized
the right of a Palestinian
homeland on the east bank of the
Jordan river. It has, further-
more, agreed to give autonomy to
the Palestinians of the West Bank
and Gaza. The Palestinians now
claim that they are represented
by the PLO, i.e. Arafat. It is the
PLO (and Arafat) who never
recognized the right of the Jews
to a homeland and vowed to
destroy all of Israel after they are
given rule over the West -Bank
and Gaza. Would the Michigan
Daily call on American oc-
cupation troops to withdraw from
Germany while the German
political and military leadership
keeps calling for the destruction
of the United States of America?
The only difference is that Israel
is much more vulnerable than the
U.S. Its major- centers of
population are 10 miles or less
from the 1967 "lines," to which
the U.N. now "orders" with-
drawal. The present U.N. reso-
lution offers Israel neither
securitly nor peace in exchange
for its withdrawal. It is a cynical
resolution aimed only at under-
mining Israel: "Peace to us
means the destruction of Israel"
(Arafat, Feb. 1980).
Raoul Kopelman is a
chemistry professor at the
University.
Cartoons frequently
appear on both the left
and right side of the
page; they do not
necessarily represent
Daily opinions.
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CHILDREN, WE'RE HONORED TO WAVE SEN. UELMS WAS A BILL IN
SEN. JESSE WELMS WItH L15 TOAY! CONGESS TWAT WOULD PUll lARQ'
PRAYER BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS'
DONALD,WOULD YOU LEAD US IN A HONORABLE BUDDHA,WHO15 IN
'VOLUNTARY"PRAYER THIS THE GREAT BEYOND.
MORNING ?
WOLD (T!
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