Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Isrc
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry — EstaL
XXXIII
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1958
NO. 32
BEHIND UN SCENES—By David Horowitz
Israel s Friends Raise Their Voices
UNITED NATIONS, (AJP) —
It is interesting to note that,
during this pre-summit negotia
tion period on the Middle East,
Israel has discovered some of
the many friends she can count,
on when the issue of Palestine
arises.
The anxious question lurking
in the shadow of Arab national
ism—what will happen w r hen the
big day of the Arab-Israel show
down comes?—has this week re
ceived its partial and encourg-
aging answer. It should serve as
food for thought to those Arabs
who are looking for “Der Tag”
in the final settlement of the
score with Israel.
Up until last week, Foreign
Ministries and heads of govern
ments maintained a general sil
ence on the Palestine issue and
it appeared that it would be the
last question to be raised in a
Big Power talk on the region.
In a matter of days, the subject
broke out of the curtain of sil
ence into the light of day.
Quite uneasy at the silence,
Israel herself first broke out into
the open with a series of chal
lenging statements by Prime
Minister Ben-Gurion. Address
ing the Knesset, the chief of the
Jewish State served notice that
Israel would not be held bound
by agreements to which she was
not an invited party. Ho then
stated that Israel was prepared
to attend the talks if invited.
Finally, he took a more bold
and positive step and stated
what the summit could do to
contribute to the Palestine peace.
He said it could recommend an
other summit-between himself
and Nasser. He also made it
emphatic that any arms embargo
by common agreement should
take into consideration Israel’s
disadvantageous ratio of arms
to the combined Arab arsenals.
Outside the summit, Israeli
ambassadors were instructed to
make the most urgent represen
tations abroad for Jerusalem’s
logical and legal right to partici
pate in any conference which
deals so broadly with peace in
the Middle East.
The response was a revelation
as to how many influential
friends Israel has among the
world’s governments and how
readily responsive they are to Is
raeli representations.
First were the British—in the
press, in the House of Commons,
where Laborite leader A. Be-
van raised the issue, and in the
House of Lords which heard the
voice of Atllee. They all pro
claimed Israel’s right in the ap
proaching confeience.
In France, Premier de Gaulle
promptly responded, and in no
uncertain terms.
Perhaps a surprise was the
announcement of the Bonn Gov
ernment which, while not a
part of the summit, is viewed
today as a reckoning entity in
Big Power discussions. Chancel
lor Adenauer has reportedly
defended Israel’s rights before
Secretary of State Dulles.
As more and more recognition
for Israel’s rights came from
the smaller nations, Washington,
too, began to open its ears to
the Israeli demands.
The Soviet Union, of course,
said nothing on the question of
Israel except to include her in a
general condemnation statement
which lists Britain and the U.S.
as would-be aggressors against
Iraq. Moscow blamed Israel for
allowing her air-space to British
planes en route to Jordan. But
if Moscow wanted to keep Israel
out, this attack was the worst
possible way to do it, since this
charge would entitle Israel to
Continued on Page 4
U. S. Affirms Support for Israel's
Integrity; Israel Seeks U.S. Arms
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Israel
Ambassador Abba Eban resumed
last week-end discussions on the
Middle East situation with senior
officials of the State Department,
it was learned here Monday. The
effect of the coming summit
meeting has been extensively
discussed between the State De
partment and the Israeli Em
bassy in recent weeks, including
lengthy conversations with Sec
retary of State John Foster
Dulles.
While the exchange of views
continues and has not fully
crystallized, the following points
have emerged so far in the ex
change between the two govern
ments since July 14:
1. The United States has strong
ly affirmed its support for the
integrity and independence of
Israel, which it regards as equal
to Lebanon in terms of Ameri
can commitments. Israel repre
sentatives are urging that this
policy be given clearer and
more concrete expression.
2. A list of items of new de
fensive equipment is now under
consideration. Some of these are
unlikely to cause much difficulty
as they belong to categories al
ready authorized in the recent
past. It is too early to predict
the outcome of the request for
heavier equipment, which is the
main source of Israel’s concern.
Ambassador Eban has invited
Shimon Peres, director general
of the Israel Defense Ministry,
to come for consultations on
these matters.
3. There is still much obscurity
about the scope and character
of the projected summit meeting
of the Security Council. The
United States has told Israel
Israel Cabinet Discusses Meaning
Of Suggested "Summit Meeting"
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — The
Israel Cabinet met earlier last
W’eek to discuss the latest de
velopments in the Middle East.
It is assumed that the Cabinet
also discussed the possibility of
a “summit meeting” suggested
by Soviet Premier Nikita S.
Khrushchev and its implications
for Israel.
Israel diplomacy has been ac
tive in the Western capitals in
recent months in connection
with the possibility of a summit
conference, but these activities
were based on the assumption
that the Middle East would con
stitute only a part of the sum
mit agenda.
Top level consultations were
started in the Foreign Ministry
here on problems that might in
volve Israel during a summit
conference. At the present mo
ment there are no special plans
to send an Israeli mission abroad
in this conection, but the possi
bility is not excluded that un
official Israeli observers would
be found in the lobbies of a sum
mit conference, should such a
meeting take place.
Israel envoys in the Western
capitals will receive instructions
on Israel’s current position as
soon as decisions are reached.
In the meantime, Premier David
Ben Gurion urgently summoned
the Yugoslav ambassador and is
expected to have urgent talks
with other ambassadors. Observ
ers attach special importance to
the meeting last week between
Mr. Ben Gurion and the Yugoslav
envoy, since the latter is the
first ambassador of a country
other than the Big Four with
whom Premier Ben Gurion has
consulted, and also because Yu
goslavia is a friend of both Is
rael and Egypt.
Ambassador Eban, who came
here for consultations and home
leave and intended to remain in
Israel for several weeks, rushed
back to Washington last week
after staying here only two
days. He was sent back to his
post by Premier Ben Gurion who
also ordered Shimon Peress, his
top defense aide and director
general of the Ministry of De
fense, to Paris. Mr. Eban reach
ed London by plane and immedi
ately departed for the United
States.
Meanwhile, Moshe Carmel,
Achdut Avodah leader who holds
the Transportation porfolio in
Premier David Ben Gurion’s
government, called for a re
newal of Israel’s bid for modern
armaments “since the world is
beginning to understand that Is
rael is the only stable base of
democracy in the Middle East.”
The left-of-center leader, who
apparently still wants to avoid
an open advocacy of military
assistance from the West, assert
ed that the Anglo-American
landings cannot offer a solution
of Israel-Arab relations nor halt
the Arab unification movement.
Therefore, he stressed, Israel
must make a “supereme effort”
to obtain weapons.
The still more left-of-center
Mapam, meanwhile, warned
against any direct or indirect
intervention by Israel in the
current inter-Arab and East-
West struggles. Meeting this
week at Mishmar Haemek, the
party political committee de
scribed Israel’s grant of permis
sion to Britain to fly troops over
Israel into Jordan as a “grave
mistake.” Such entanglement by
Israel is apt to present “incalcul
able dangers.” the committee
said. fc
While such criticism of the
government’s action might nor
mally lead to a Cabinet crisis,
it was learned that the Mapam
and the Achdut Avodah—which
also opposed the British over
flights—have decided not to
quit the government “in the
face of the grave situation.”
WASHINGTON, (JTA)-Close
contact is being maintained
here between the Israel Embassy
and the State Department on
the rapidly moving Middle East
situation. The arrival of Ambas
sador Eban from Israel is ex
pected tonight or tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Representative P.
Morano, Connecticut Republi
can, announced that he had ask
ed President Eisenhower to au
thorize the transfer of modern
arms to Israel. If inclusion of
Israel among the nations receiv
ing such armaments involves a
delay, the Congressmen wrote
the President, Israel should be
permitted to buy weapons on the
open market.
Kasper Freed from
Prison in Atlanta;
Wants “Hate” Party
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—John
Kasper, notorious anti-Semite,
who was released from Federal
prison in Atlanta last week, this
week announced that he is form
ing a new national anti-Semitic
political party which will at
tempt to nominate a Presidential
candidate.
Kasper said the new party’s
objectives would include expul
sion of Jews from “any kind of
public life.” The party was de
scribed as based on what he
called “racial nationalism.” It
would advocate the “colonization
of the Negroes to send them to
Africa.”
Kasper is visiting in Alabama
at the home of retired Admiral
John Crommelin, one of his most
ardent supporters. He is meeting
with leaders of various “White
Citizens Councils.”
that it favors her participation if
matters affecting Israel arise.
But the published statements of
President Eisenhower and Secre
tary Dulles indicate a desire to.
limit the conference to the speci
fic matters which led to its con
vening, namely, the Soviet
charges against the Western in
tervention in Lebanon and Jord
an and the American charges of
recent “indirect aggression” in
the Middle East.
Israel has not been a central
element in either of those two
problems. Israel circles, however,
doubt whether the discussion
will in fact be confined to mat
ters not affecting Israel, and
consider it probable that Israel
will in the end have to exercise
her rights under the UN Charter
to be represented.
Israel representatives have
been given to understand that
there is no foundation to news
paper reports that the United
States is proposing an arms em
bargo for all or part of the Mid
dle East. There is a Soviet pro
posal for an embargo on the
whole Near and Middle East in
cluding Turkey and Iran, which
the United States rejects.
Israel is understood to believe
that a Security Council confer
ence such as that proposed will,
at most, be able to agree on
certain broad principles, and will
not be a substitute for direct
negotiations on outstanding dis
putes. The principles which in
the Israel view should be en
dorsed, comprise the integrity
and independence of states, in
cluding Israel; guarantess against
changes of existing borders by
force; settlement of disputes by
direct negotiations; and cessation
of hostile acts, blockades, and
inflammatory propaganda.
NEWS
m
brief
JERUSALEM, (JTA) —Israel’s
greatest problem is strengthen
ing its security, Premier David
Ben Gurion told a closed plenary
meeting of the Jewish Agency
executive in a 90-minute review
of current developments in the
Middle East. He underlined the
government’s determination to
take every necessary and poss
ible step to fortify the army and
bring its equipment up to date.
At the same time, he called im
migration and settlement the
most urgent tasks of the Jewish
people. “We need more Jews
and we need them quickly,” he
told the Zionist leaders gathered
from all parts of the world. He
asked for an all-out increase in
immigration from all corners of
the world.
JERUSALEM, (JTA)—The So
viet Union is an important fac
tor in the Middle East and the
West must recognize this, Dr.
Nahum Goldmann, president of
the Jewish Agency, declared this
week, adding that Middle East
stabilization is not possible with
out Russia. This fact, he pointed
out, is of utmost importance to
Israel.
Addressing a press conference,
Dr. Goldmann revealed that he
had held three long discussions
with Premier David Ben Gurion
on this subject. He said differ
ences between their views were
now “minute.” „
PARIS, (JTA) — Israel’s For
eign Minister Golda Meir arrived
in Paris Monday from Switzer
land where she spent a week-end
resting from her recent illness.
She was scheduled to confer
here Tuesday with Premier Chas.
de Gaulle and Foreign Minister
Maurice Couve de Murville.
She was greeted at the air
port by M. de Murville, Israel
Ambassador Yaaciv Tsur, French
protocol officials and scores of
newspapermen and photograph
ers and cameraman for television
and newsreels. The press this
morning greeted her anticipated
arrival as “one of the most im
portant political visits “for
France.
Addressing newsmen at the
airport, Mrs. Meir said she was
grateful to France’s leaders for
receiving her in a meeting which
she described as “vital” for Is
rael. She said she was pleased,
“as always,” to come to France,
“Israel’s best and greatest
friend.”
Mrs. Meir’s schedule called for
luncheon with M. de Murville at
the Quai d’Orsay, together with
Ambassador Tsur and senior
French Foreign Ministry offi
cials. Later she was to confer
with Gen. de Gaulle on the Mid
dle East situation and Israel’s
position in relation to it.
Israel Confirms Cessation of
British Flights to Jordon
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — The
cessation of British overflights of
Israel territory with troop and
supply planes from Cyprus to
Jordan was confirmed here Mon
day by authoritative Israeli cir
cles.
It is understood that when the
British shrugged off continued
Israeli requests for an end to the
violations of Israel air space, the
British Ambassador was called
in and told, in the firmest tones,
that the flights must cease.
(In London, British defense
officials disclosed that they had
established a new supply route
for British forces in Jordan that
would avoid Israel territory and
use of Israel air space. In future
supplies to Britain’s paratroops
in Jordan will go through tne
port of Akaba, on the Gulf of
Akaba, overland to the interior.
A contingent of supply troops
arrived in Akaba to handle tne
shipments.)
Although, by coincidence, the
final Israeli demand came on the
same day the Soviet Union pro
tested to Israel against the Brit
ish action, it was stated here
that there was no connection
between the two developments.
The Israeli demand was moti
vated by two inter-connected
factors:
1. Israel’s desire to avoid fur
ther involvement in the British
intervention in Jordan, particu
larly since Israel feels the pres
ence of British troops in that
Arab land neither prevents Jor
dan’s disintegration nor presents
a barrier to Nasser’s expansion.
2. Israel’s suspicion that Bri
tain is again playing an anti-
Israel game in Jordan. Comment
ing on London reports that Is
rael would march into Jordan
if Hussein fell, Israeli political
circles hinted that these reports
constitute another British at
tempt to set up Israel as a bogey
to convince Jordan that British
troops are needed in the country
to prevent an Israeli attack.
However, Israeli sources do
not deny that if Jordan falls
apart, Israel will be face to face
with an entirely new security
situation. It is felt here that in
such an eventuality, Israel’s ac
tions will be determined by her
own security interests.