Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Israelite
•3* &
■'* . ■ I
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry - Established
Vol. XLII
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1967
Dateline Israel.... May 30, 1967
by Vida Goldgar
Note: The writer, just returned at press time from Israel where she at
tended the 24th Annual Convention of the American Jewish Press As
sociation, headed by TSI editor and publisher Adolph Rosenberg, gives
her personal impressions of what is happening there TODAY.
Israel in crisis is an Israel every American Jew can be proud of. Wherever I have been
during the last five days here, I have observed an esprit de corps, a unity and strength.
Whether riding on a half track with the army in the Negev ... in the streets of Jerusalem
or Tel Aviv ... in the Alhambra Theatre. Everywhere I went—the same impression.
0
31
NO. 22
Even though there are two
divergent views expressed by
the people 1 met and inter
viewed, about three out of
every four felt that the delay
was costly, that Israel should
have struck back at the ag
gressors long ago. “We lose
somewhat the element of sur
prise now,” an army major
told me. (He was in charge of
a tank brigade that demon
strated for members of the
American Jewish Press Assn,
a display of skill and modern
military strength which was
encouraging, to say the
least). This point of view
was echoed in many places.
During an evening get togeth
er at the home of an Israeli cor
respondent for one of the wire
services, discussion became very
heated. “This is a matter of sur
vival for us and not diplomacy,”
one Israeli said. “We cannot wait
for others to do what we must
do ourselves.” Another said, “Our
boys could get the job done and
be hack home again in four
weeks. Now who knows how long
the job will take.” Ultimate vic
tory was never the question, but
only the difference in cost in
lives.
The Government’s position was
explained wtih admirable clar
ity by a high official in the office
of foreign affairs. We are not at
liberty to reveal details of his
briefing to us which was made
off the record. However, this of
ficial did state unequivocally that
the Government’s position was,
after Abba Eban’s talk with
President Johnson, to try every
diplomatic route to peace before
going down the road of war.
“Even so, said Arthur Lourie,
Asst. Director General of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
“there is no doubt that we have
Editors’ Presence
‘Tremendous Boost’
The decision of Adolph Ros
enberg, president of the Amer
ican Jewish Press Association,
to carry through plans for the
convention in Israel of the
organization he heads had far
reaching effects.
The editors, most accom
panied by their wives, were
told often — not only by the
government representatives but
by the military and the people
in the street—that this expres
sion of confidence and solidar
ity, was a tremendous boost to
the morale of all Israel, News
papers and radio announced
the arrival, in spite of the
crisis, of the journalists and
hailed their presence at this
time.
Mr. Rosenberg, editor and
publisher of The Southern Is
raelite, said, “We aren’t heroes
. . . but we feel a commitment
to our brothers in Israel and
felt only a desire to show our
confidence and abiding inter
est in the Jewish State."
the strength and power for mili
tary victory any time we choose
that avenue, even if we do not
receive the help from abroad that
the justice of our claim merits...
We shall soon see,” said he, “and
I have little doubt that we will
see, that the commitments of four
American pre sidents remain
valid.”
Abba Eban had just re
turned from Washington
a few hours before our
meeting with Mr. Lourie
and he brought us up to
date on Mr. Eban’s report
which was to be delivered
shortly thereafter to the gen
eral press and the Knesset.
WITH KADISH LUZ
Last Sunday members of the
American Jewish Press Assn,
were privileged to meet at the
ultra-modern Knesset building
in Jerusalem with Speaker of
the Knesset Kadish Luz.
This man is indeed impres
sive in his candor and his
forcefulness. The strength
of his remarks to the press
came through even after the
necessary translation. He
told us again of the Govern
ment's policy of desiring to
avert war if at all possible,
but to fight if need be for the
survival of the State of
Israel.
For example, when asked
what he would be doing in
the event of total mobiliza
tion, this man of high position
said he would do what the chief
of his Kibbutz ordered him to
do; for first and foremost, be
sides his status as Speaker, he
was a farmer and a member of
his kibbutz like every other
similar citizen of the Jewish
State.
THE PEOPLE
A taxi driver on Tuesday
(May 30) summed up the
general feeling of the people
now when he told me: “Now,
of course, we have only one
course open, to wait and see
if the United States does
what it has promised. Be
fore we had a choice, but
now I feel it is certainly best
for us to try the diplomacy
before we try the army.” He
has a son who is a soldier
with a tank unit in the
Negev, perhaps the one we
visited. “The young people
feel,” he said, “like they
must get this war over with,
that it will come some day
anyway and the sooner they
have knocked this mad man
Nasser down, the better.”
I asked him if he thought
Nasser was like another Hit
ler. “No, Hitler had a lot of
clever fanatics working with
him. Nasser’s people do not
have the ability, Thank
G-d.”
NECESSARY MOBILIZATION
I was amazed at the thorough
ness of the mobilization in
Israel. A case in point was the
photographer assigned to our
convention. The photographer
first assigned had been called to
join his unit. A second gentle
man located by the Israel Gov
ernment Tourist Office soon re
ceived his call. The third, an
older man, was driving his
car the first days of our visit.
Then I saw him on the bus. I
asked, “Why are you riding the
bus.”
“Last night,” he replied, “a
man came to my house and told
my wife he wanted to see me. It.
was almost midnight. I was
hopeful they wanted me (al
though I am 58 years old) but
no,” he added sadly, “they only
wanted my car.” All kinds of
vehicles have been commandeer
ed by the defense forces . . .
bread trucks and milk trucks,
city busses and private vehicles
have been pressed into service. I
noticed this somehow more than
the people even though mobili
zation had been swift and sure,
born of good planning and dis
cipline. The hotel? 51111 had staff,
though limited, the busses still
ran, though on limited service,
and things remained calm and
quiet.
One big difference was that
every hour when the news came
on the radio, everyone stopped
what he was doing. A busboy, for
example, would simply lay down
his tray and the hotel switch
board girl would cut off all calls
while they listened to the first
few minutes of each broadcast.
Continued on page 8
MRS. MORTIMER JACOBSON, national president of Hadaasah,
and William S. Gaud, head of the U. S. Agency for International
Development, are shown signing an agreement last week under
which Hadassah is to receive $1 million in Israeli pounds for
necessary additions to the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical
Center in Jerusalem.
On June 11th Honoring Isidore Alterman
Massell Award Dinner
ToHearSen.Talmadge
Senator Herman Talmadge is to
address the Benjamin J. Massell
Memorial Award Dinner to be
held June 11 at the Switzerland
House, honoring Isidore Alter
man, it was announced by Max
Rjttgnbaum, dinner chairman.
Max Kitten Baum pointed out
that the funds derived from Is
rael Bonds play an indispensable
role in financing industrial de
velopment, expanding agricultur
al production, constructing irriga
tion lines, homes, highways and
harbors, and exploiting natural
resources.
Stressing the importance of Is
rael Bonds, Mr. Rittenbaum
outlined the economic achieve
ments which have been made
possible with the aid of funds de
rived from these Bonds.
“Israel has attained a unique
place among the new developing
nations of the* world,” Mr. Rit
tenbaum said, “and has achieved
recognition as an outstanding
example of successful economic
growth. It is a living demonstra
tion to the world that an under
developed land can make great
progress at the same time that it
is building a sound democracy.
“A most significant measure of
Israel’s economic growth is to be
found in the fact that the coun
try’s exports are expected to
reach the billion dollar mark in
1967. This is an achievement of
historic dimensions for a country
whose population is 2,650,090 and
whose total exports amounted to
only $70,000,000 in 1951, when the
Israel Bond drive was started.
“In'the period since 1951, great
advances have been recorded. In
dustrial production has risen
Continued on page 5
Israel Will Fight for Freedom
To Pass Through Tiran Strait
TEL AVIV (JTA) — After a
special meeting of the Israel
Cabinet devoted to the current
Arab-Israeli crisis. Prime Min
ister Levi Eshkol announced on
the radio here that Israel would
fight for its security along the
borders and for its right to free
dom of passage through the
Strait of Tiran. The Cabinet
meeting lasted more than four
hours.
Voicing his confidence in
Israel’s army’s capacity to re
pulse any act of aggression, Mr.
Eshkol asserted that the Israel
Government would act “to pro
cure not only the opening of the
Strait of Tiran, but also the
withdrawal of Egypt’s military
build-up along Israel’s borders.”
He characterized Egypt’s block
ade of the Strait of Tiran as “an
aggressive act,” and reiterated
Israel’s “right to defend itself,
should conditions warrant” such
action.
Mr. Eshkol told the nation that
the Cabinet has approved direc
tives for securing the withdrawal
of Egyptian forces from the Sinai
Peninsula. Directives for political
action, he said, have also been
approved by the Cabinet. After
repeating his assertion that
Egypt’s current military build-up
and the blockading of the Strait
of Tiran endanger Israel’s secur
ity, the Premier paid tribute to
Israel’s army which, he said, is
“strong and has the highest
morale, and is capable of repuls
ing any attack.” He called the
army “Israel’s bulwark.”
Israel is relying not only on its
army, Mr. Eshkol said in his ad
dress, but also on political and
diplomatic means for efforts to
find a solution of the current
crisis. He said that Israel is “in
constant contact” with the Unit
ed States, Britain, France and
other governments, including the
Soviet Union. Israel’s mobiliza
tion of its army reserves, he said,
has played an important role in
securing a possible solution of
the crisis.
At the conclusion of his ad
dress to the nation; Mr. Eshkol
said that additional details about
the decisions taken at the Cabi
net session will be revealed,
when the Knesset debates the
current crisis,, The Premier spoke
in an emotion-packed voice,
especially when he emphasized
Israel’s desire to secure Egypt’s
withdrawal of its military build
up along Israel’s borders.
The Premier’s speech to the
nation was viewed here as
Israel’s reply to the anti-Israel
declaration made in Cairo today
by Egypt’s President Nasser.
Continued on page 5
Puppy Flees
Over Border
JERUSALEM (JTA) — A
brotvn and white puppy
crossed the Israeli lines from
Gaza with a note in English
attached to its collar which
read “I am a Danish dog and
my name is Nikki. I am
afraid of Egyptians and have
crossed the Israeli line.
Please take care of me and J
will serve you well when I
am grown up.”
The letter apparently was
written by a Danish member
of the United Nations Emer-V
gency Force which was
ordered out of its Egyptian
positions earlier on demand
of Egyptian President Nas
ser. The puppy was adopted
by children of a collective
settlement on the border.