NEBRASKA ST.ATS HISTORICAL
Does Israel Really Deserve By WILLIAM S. WHITE Washington All this breast-beating condemnation of Israel by "world opinion" for the Israelis' reprisal attack upon the airport in Lebanon nee'ds some cool re-examination and some factual perspective;. -It-4B-true-thaHsraePs-ac-tion-hereJn_r£laliai tion for a terrorist Arab assault upon an Israeli aircraft in Athens in which an Israeli lost his life, was unwise and excessive—if judged in total isolation. For Lebanon has been a moderate force within the Arab bloc and has thus far joined only by words in the "holy war" being conducted against Israel by more vehement— and .Communist-oriented—states such as Nasser Egypt. Still, this whole- business cannot be understood out Of its whole context. When all the facts, and not just some of them, are seen without prejudice, Israel comes off incomparably better than it is coming off in the excited indictments now being flung about inside and outside the United Nations. First of all, Israel's commandos at any rate took the greatest care In Lebanon to take no nan's life. But the essential points are vastly deeper. Here Is a nation dug out of the hard, arid earth that for all Its life has been tirelessly menaced by extremist Arabs from every side. •. • * • ,. ,'.'' Week after week, month after month, year after year the Israelis have been drenched by
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the poisonous hatred of Cairo Radio. Eternalb. threatened, they have lived in a stockade *•''' much as did the American pioneer." "" attacked along their frontiers, f ^ j^*^ sponded with a courage and an ela ¥-•' in contemporary times. . Explicitly and repeatedly told by (hey arc going to-be destroyed by A -pcehang-HAt Inn surprising tlmt aflpr ades it is growing difficult for them to see that "big picture" which statesmen far from the scene arc pleased to paint for them. ! Is it very surprising, then, that finally they react with undue violence, considering'the further point that never once have they been granted elementary justice by a U. N. presently headed by the openly prejudiced Secretary General UThant? The simple, historic reality is that the Israelis have never stood a chance, in the U.N. where the Russians and their tinpot and sometimes cryptoCommunist allies among the African and Asian states have used this tough and tiny Western outpost as a kind of badminton shuttlecock in the Cold War. But there is an e v e n more fundamental truth, and It Is this: It is no longer liberally cblc to be pro-Israel, where once it was too liberally chic altogether. Twenty years ago "elite" American opinion sentimentalized Israel out of all reason. Today, "elite" American opinion can hardly find anything good about the Israelis. •
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It would require a book fully to explore this
i9 5 ;nabout. This columnist's opinion is that Israel j\*V fallen out of grace not because of its consid.«/$V *e faults-but rather because of its oldfashfp<& .virtues. jc?^" ..• the Israelis oddly cling to certain outmoded concepts which in a shorthand way are ' more conservative than otherwise. They do not happily embrace any and all —"revolutlons^*-sucli-aB-~Colr~AtnlEl Gamal Nasser's exported "revolutions." in places like Yemen. They feel no shame In being patriots. They love their country; they will-unhesitatingly fight for it. And they will not be talked out of their right—and duty—of self-defense. They do not accept the new isolationism, the new peacenikism, of the New Left now so popular in quarters here and abroad. Having been told several thousand times that pro-Communist Arabs intend the literal destruction of their way of life, they have come to believe it. That Lebanon is not really a part of this con- , spiracy is true enough. That Lebanon's airport has been attacked/fiT in every way regrettable. But that the world can hardly expect a people so long brutalized by hostile neighbors to respond in every instance with all prudence and restraint is surely also true. When a man Is fighting for his life, It Is a little hard to expect him to proceed with all the solemn care that might be exercised by some fellow who never felt a wound. • Copyright 1969 by Mutual Feature Syndicate, Inc. Jlcprlnteil by courtesy of the Omaha World-Herald.
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1009
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Leaders Named
"How lucky for me to be asked to do a job I would volunteer • to do," Mrs. Morlcy Zipursky said this week. The same thoughts were expressed by Mrs. Harold Cherniack and Mrs. Manfred Krcitstein, following the announcement of their ' appointment as co-chairmen of the 1969 Women's Division of the ..Jewish Philanthropies, United Jewish Appeal, Israel Emergency Fund Campaigns. In making the announcement, Mrs. A. C. Fellman, Women's Di- Krcitstein and Charlotte Zipurvision Chairman, noted the in- sky represent the kind of enercreasing urgency of the coming getic leadership and intense ' campaign. concern needed for a successful "The daily news from; the campaign in this critical year," Middle East leaves little doubt Mrs. Fellman said. that the people of Israel are Israel Involvement : once again facing a critical, ex.In accepting the appointment, plosive stage in their 20 year Mrs. Kreitstein noted that "most light for survival," said Mrs. people have "something" that. Fellman. they feel very strongly a b o u t „,—J(j -gm-jnost -grateful,'' Mrs. and for-which they will put oat •.' Fellraan continued, "that t h i s the most effort. For me that year, when the needs are so "something" is the State of Is"-great,r:l"willijiave working witlv rael," she said.' - Li me as co-chairmen of the Wom*'I have-followed very closely Mrs. Harold Cherniack Mrs. Manfred Krcitstein Mrs. Morley Zipursky en's Division, these three cap- the problems^ and progress of able, dedicated women who ea> the Jewish State, and feel I Israel. I am very pleased to be ful conclusion," Mrs. Kreitstein rently serves on the boards of ' gerly accepted the responsibili- must do everything I can to . given the special opportunity of- said. the Federation of Jewish Womt y . Harriet Cherniack, Lois help the courageous people. of serving. as co-chairman of tho Mrs. Kreitstein has been ac- en's Clubs and the Joslyn Art tively involved in the annual, Women's Division campaign this campaigns for many Tears, and Museum Women's Association. ^yearH can thinkof-nobetter has served as"a worker; cap- -She~is~a~past m e m b e r o f " t h e way of showing now deeply I tain and in a variety of "behind boards of Temple Israel Sister..care.Jhan. by.helping to. bring tho scenes" roles. She has also hood, National Council of Jew* served the State of Israel by ish Women and has been aoour local campaign to a success- -ftcjive involvement^in—thc^on^ (Continued on Page 4) nual Israel Bond Campaigns. Her community activities also include service on the boards Washington (JTA) — Sixteen ate them." It was stressed that of the Omaha Chapter of Ha. members of the Senate have sub- the conflict should be viewed dassah, B r a n d e i s University scribed, to a joint, bipartisan in its total context and perspecWomen and Beth Israel'Sisterstatement expressing concern hood. over what they said was a dis- tive. France has cut off delivImportant Role Signatories' Washington (JTA)—Sixty-thre^ proportionate measure of blame ery of all military equipment Mrs. Harold Cherniack cur- members of the House of Rep* The s t a t e m e n t was cirplaced upon Israel by the United to Israel, including jet plane resentatives signed a joint.state. Nations in the current Mideast c u l a t e d by Sens. J a c o b spare .parts, a move -that - ment voicing- concern lest th( K. Javits, New YorkRepublieanr "Crisis;' ;~-—'~ -; could cripple the air force United Nations' censure of I * • The statement noted that the and Walter F. Mondale, Minnethat is Israel's prime strike rael for its Dec. 28 attack on tho UN condemned Israel for its sota Democrat. Signatories inweapon. Beirut Airport without a simut cluded Sens. Clifford P. Case, Dec, 28 reprisal raid at the Informed sources in Israel taneous condemnation of Arab Republican, and Harrison A,_.. Beirut International Airport but said their, air force has terrorist and provocation "ei> Williams, Democrat, both of "" Jerusalem (JTA) *—" Foreign" ' made "no reference to the dienough spare parts to last Minister Abba Eban told the courage the Arabs to intensity rect threat to Israel's survival New Jersey; Hugh Scott and "many months," but a spokesCabinet that proposals made by their terrorism." The "CongressV" . posed by the continuing raids Richard S. Schweiker, both man in Paris said: "We rethe Soviet Union recently for a men said, "There are ominous into Israel—with their mount- Pennsylvania R e p u b l i c a n s ; gard this step as having a Middle East settlement were signs that the Soviet Union will ing toll in, lives and property— Stephen M, Young,; Democrat, possibly dangerous effect on totally unacceptable to* Israel 'exploit the censure of Israel to by. Arab guerrillas operating and William Saxbe, Republican, Siirair force.": even as a basis or framework whip up international opinion from the Arab states — states both of Ohio; and Charles E. "Moreover we do not think against Israel." for discussion. - that have maintained a state of Goodell, New York Republican; it will encourage/the Arabs . war with Israel for 20 years and Peter H..Dominick, Colorado Re"It Is difficult to understand Russia, he said, persists in deto hasten to sign a peace which harbor and officially en- publican; Philip A. Hart, Michima n d i n g Israel's withdrawal why the international c6mmtu> treaty," he added. "The com" courage the guerrillas." from all occupied Arab territo- ity remains, mute., when Arab gan Democrat; George Murphy, ing weeks will be difficult." ries without a peace treaty, with- terrorists, commit murder and The Senators noted that ."the California Republican; William The French action was exout practical guarantees of free- finds its voice only when Israel Israelis are fighting for their Proxmire, Wisconsin Democrat; pected to add urgency to Isdom of navigation in interna-- undertakes to put an. end to sucb very lives as their Arab neigh- •Abraham Ribicoff, Connecticut rael's requests for^quick detional waters, and without a con- atrocities," the statement sala, bora, bolstered by Soviet mili- Democrat; Joseph D. Tydings, livery of 50 United States tractual basis for future rela- Signatories .included .member! tary and diplomatic support, Maryland Democrat; and Fred F-4 Phantom jet fighters. tions with the Arabs. : • ' ; . of both parties, .. -egairvopenly-4hreaten to-obiiter-—HarriSr-Oklahoma-Democrat-
16 Senators Bad Israel artisan
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(3 Congressmen Hit U.N. Censure
France Halts Jef Sales to Israel
Eban Rejects New Soviet Proposals