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INTERNATIONAL
demilitarization of Sinai. At Sharm el
Q. Do you think that Israelis and Pal-
Sheikh, however, we must be in a posi-
have established governments with ar-
estinians might one day live together in a
tion to protect the access to the Strait of
mies and police forces. We had nothing.
binational state, comparable to the Chris-
Tiran-our backyard. We cannot rely on
We were just as illegal as the under-
tian-Moslem arrangement in Lebanon?
promises and outsiders to do it for us.
ground movements you just mentioned.
A. I would not like to be in the same
We cannot live as a nation without a
And while trying to control them, we
position as Lebanon-that is, on a 50-50
peace treaty. As for the Golan Heights,
had at the same time to struggle against
basis. Lebanon could become 60-40 one
the British Army.
we will quite simply never give them up.
day and then what happens to the
The same goes for Jerusalem. Here
minority?
Q. President Nasser told NEWSWEEK
there is no flexibility at all. I regret it. I
It's very important that you and your
would be very happy to say yes. But
that Egyptian representatives are pre-
readers should understand that for 2,000
every time I look at the map I shake my
pared to sit down with Israelis in joint
years we were persecuted minorities
head because there is no possible way to
committees with U.N. observers as they
around the world. Never again. We must
compromise on Jerusalem. It is the very
did under the 1949 armistice agree-
have our own place where we are a ma-
heart of our state.
ments. What are your objections to re-
jority. Look at Cyprus. Twenty-three per
suming such a dialogue-a dialogue, in-
cent Turks, and look at what is going on.
Q. Some Israeli leaders are now sug-
cidentally, which Nasser says your
Is that what you want for us? Israel is
government ended?
gesting that Nasser and King Hussein
and must remain a Jewish state.
are too weak domestically to risk a peace
A. There was always a third party in
settlement, and that eventually you will
these committees and this third party-
Q. In that case, how would you feel
have to settle with the Palestinians di-
the U.N.-was the decisive party. The
about a separate Palestinian Arab state?
rectly. What do you think?
U.N. observer nearly always said he nev-
A. I am against it. Personally, I think
A. If those two could work together-
er saw what happened. The arrangement
Palestinian connections and ties should
and if Nasser didn't stab the King in the
had become a mockery, a travesty of jus-
tice. When Nasser launched the first
back from time to time-I am quite sure
they could sell a reasonable settlement
fedayeen raids more than ten years ago,
to their peoples. I have met at least half
he acted as though he was free to do as
a dozen times with Palestinian leaders
on the west bank. They said they would
HAJ JACOB MUSTAFA
he pleased while we were supposed to
respect the armistice agreements. That's
go talk to Hussein and to Nasser. They
why the arrangement broke down. But if
did, but came back empty-handed.
Nasser is ready to resume these joint
committees and to sit with us there, why
Q. Do you see the Palestinian com-
isn't he ready to sit with us under the
mandos-Al-Fatah and the fedayeen-as
U.N. Security Council resolution of Nov.
22, 1967?
a potentially important political factor
in the Middle East?
A. I don't want to brag, but the feda-
Q. Hasn't the time come for some new
Israeli peace initiatives?
yeen have lost a lot of people. Many are
leaving the movement dispirited. I do not
A. We feel that every day is the time
believe the fedayeen will become as im-
for this. The question is what and how.
Let's sit down and discuss it. Let's reason
portant as some people in Western coun-
tries seem to think. But if Al-Fatah wants
together. We have said-and it certainly
to talk to us directly, we would not say
reached the ears of the Jordanian Gov-
no. If one day they overthrow established
ernment-that if Jordan needs a Medi-
Arab governments, we would then have
terranean harbor we are prepared to
give them free port facilities in Haifa or
a new enemy and a new situation. But I
Ashdod. We can embark on all sorts of
don't believe this will happen because
they feel better off as free lances, and
joint endeavors to develop their industry
are not at all anxious to take on the bur-
and export business. Go talk to the Arab
Marc Riboud-Magnum
dens of government.
farmers on the west bank and they will
Jerusalem: "The heart of our state'
tell you what we have done in a few
Q. You call the fedayeen terrorists.
months to increase their productivity-
be with Jordan; they have the same cus-
But how do they differ from other resist-
which had barely changed for centuries
toms, same religion, same language. But
before. We dug wells for them where
ance movements through history?
who knows? Jordan's behavior may force
A. If people perpetrate terrorist acts
their own people had assured them there
them to have a separate entity.
they can, of course, call themselves a re-
was no water. This is what we can offer.
sistance movement. But what are they
But there is a price. Either they maintain
Q. If the Jews are entitled to a home-
resisting? They cannot find shelter on the
a state of war and nothing happens, or
land, aren't the Palestinians similarly en-
west bank; the Arabs there are not coop-
they want real peace and then the hopes
titled to their own country?
for the future are unlimited.
erating with the fedayeen. That hardly
A. What are Palestinians? When I
qualifies them as resistance fighters.
came here there were 250,000 non-Jews
Q. If you were President Nixon and
-mainly Arabs and Bedouins. It was des-
Q. But in Gaza the local population is
trying to counteract Russian penetration
ert-more than underdeveloped. Noth-
resisting your occupation. Doesn't that
of the Arab world, wouldn't you find it
ing. It was only after we made the desert
necessary to inch a bit closer to the
constitute a resistance movement?
bloom and populated it that they be-
Arab view?
A. As a Jew, I will answer with another
came interested in taking it from us.
question. What difference does it make?
A. It is always hard to put yourself in
Why should glorify them with their
someone else's shoes, especially those of
Q. You expect Arab governments to
the President of the United States. But I
own label? But, more seriously, I would
disarm or control the fedayeen. But
point out that for twenty years Gaza was
am convinced that, although we fought
were Jewish leaders capable of control-
occupied by the Egyptians. The Egyp-
alone, the six-day war enhanced the in-
ling Jewish underground groups like the
terests of the free world in the Middle
tians' curfew there was much tougher
Stern gang at the time of your own strug-
East. There is much alarm about Soviet
than ours. The Palestinian refugees in
gle for independence?
Gaza resisted the Egyptians just as
influence, but what do Egypt and Syria
A. Yes, to a certain degree we were.
have to offer? And the states that do
strongly as they resist us.
But how can you compare? The Arabs
have a lot to offer-Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
Newsweek, February 17, 1969
53
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"ocrText": "INTERNATIONAL\ndemilitarization of Sinai. At Sharm el\nQ. Do you think that Israelis and Pal-\nSheikh, however, we must be in a posi-\nhave established governments with ar-\nestinians might one day live together in a\ntion to protect the access to the Strait of\nmies and police forces. We had nothing.\nbinational state, comparable to the Chris-\nTiran-our backyard. We cannot rely on\nWe were just as illegal as the under-\ntian-Moslem arrangement in Lebanon?\npromises and outsiders to do it for us.\nground movements you just mentioned.\nA. I would not like to be in the same\nWe cannot live as a nation without a\nAnd while trying to control them, we\nposition as Lebanon-that is, on a 50-50\npeace treaty. As for the Golan Heights,\nhad at the same time to struggle against\nbasis. Lebanon could become 60-40 one\nthe British Army.\nwe will quite simply never give them up.\nday and then what happens to the\nThe same goes for Jerusalem. Here\nminority?\nQ. President Nasser told NEWSWEEK\nthere is no flexibility at all. I regret it. I\nIt's very important that you and your\nwould be very happy to say yes. But\nthat Egyptian representatives are pre-\nreaders should understand that for 2,000\nevery time I look at the map I shake my\npared to sit down with Israelis in joint\nyears we were persecuted minorities\nhead because there is no possible way to\ncommittees with U.N. observers as they\naround the world. Never again. We must\ncompromise on Jerusalem. It is the very\ndid under the 1949 armistice agree-\nhave our own place where we are a ma-\nheart of our state.\nments. What are your objections to re-\njority. Look at Cyprus. Twenty-three per\nsuming such a dialogue-a dialogue, in-\ncent Turks, and look at what is going on.\nQ. Some Israeli leaders are now sug-\ncidentally, which Nasser says your\nIs that what you want for us? Israel is\ngovernment ended?\ngesting that Nasser and King Hussein\nand must remain a Jewish state.\nare too weak domestically to risk a peace\nA. There was always a third party in\nsettlement, and that eventually you will\nthese committees and this third party-\nQ. In that case, how would you feel\nhave to settle with the Palestinians di-\nthe U.N.-was the decisive party. The\nabout a separate Palestinian Arab state?\nrectly. What do you think?\nU.N. observer nearly always said he nev-\nA. I am against it. Personally, I think\nA. If those two could work together-\ner saw what happened. The arrangement\nPalestinian connections and ties should\nand if Nasser didn't stab the King in the\nhad become a mockery, a travesty of jus-\ntice. When Nasser launched the first\nback from time to time-I am quite sure\nthey could sell a reasonable settlement\nfedayeen raids more than ten years ago,\nto their peoples. I have met at least half\nhe acted as though he was free to do as\na dozen times with Palestinian leaders\non the west bank. They said they would\nHAJ JACOB MUSTAFA\nhe pleased while we were supposed to\nrespect the armistice agreements. That's\ngo talk to Hussein and to Nasser. They\nwhy the arrangement broke down. But if\ndid, but came back empty-handed.\nNasser is ready to resume these joint\ncommittees and to sit with us there, why\nQ. Do you see the Palestinian com-\nisn't he ready to sit with us under the\nmandos-Al-Fatah and the fedayeen-as\nU.N. Security Council resolution of Nov.\n22, 1967?\na potentially important political factor\nin the Middle East?\nA. I don't want to brag, but the feda-\nQ. Hasn't the time come for some new\nIsraeli peace initiatives?\nyeen have lost a lot of people. Many are\nleaving the movement dispirited. I do not\nA. We feel that every day is the time\nbelieve the fedayeen will become as im-\nfor this. The question is what and how.\nLet's sit down and discuss it. Let's reason\nportant as some people in Western coun-\ntries seem to think. But if Al-Fatah wants\ntogether. We have said-and it certainly\nto talk to us directly, we would not say\nreached the ears of the Jordanian Gov-\nno. If one day they overthrow established\nernment-that if Jordan needs a Medi-\nArab governments, we would then have\nterranean harbor we are prepared to\ngive them free port facilities in Haifa or\na new enemy and a new situation. But I\nAshdod. We can embark on all sorts of\ndon't believe this will happen because\nthey feel better off as free lances, and\njoint endeavors to develop their industry\nare not at all anxious to take on the bur-\nand export business. Go talk to the Arab\nMarc Riboud-Magnum\ndens of government.\nfarmers on the west bank and they will\nJerusalem: \"The heart of our state'\ntell you what we have done in a few\nQ. You call the fedayeen terrorists.\nmonths to increase their productivity-\nbe with Jordan; they have the same cus-\nBut how do they differ from other resist-\nwhich had barely changed for centuries\ntoms, same religion, same language. But\nbefore. We dug wells for them where\nance movements through history?\nwho knows? Jordan's behavior may force\nA. If people perpetrate terrorist acts\ntheir own people had assured them there\nthem to have a separate entity.\nthey can, of course, call themselves a re-\nwas no water. This is what we can offer.\nsistance movement. But what are they\nBut there is a price. Either they maintain\nQ. If the Jews are entitled to a home-\nresisting? They cannot find shelter on the\na state of war and nothing happens, or\nland, aren't the Palestinians similarly en-\nwest bank; the Arabs there are not coop-\nthey want real peace and then the hopes\ntitled to their own country?\nfor the future are unlimited.\nerating with the fedayeen. That hardly\nA. What are Palestinians? When I\nqualifies them as resistance fighters.\ncame here there were 250,000 non-Jews\nQ. If you were President Nixon and\n-mainly Arabs and Bedouins. It was des-\nQ. But in Gaza the local population is\ntrying to counteract Russian penetration\nert-more than underdeveloped. Noth-\nresisting your occupation. Doesn't that\nof the Arab world, wouldn't you find it\ning. It was only after we made the desert\nnecessary to inch a bit closer to the\nconstitute a resistance movement?\nbloom and populated it that they be-\nArab view?\nA. As a Jew, I will answer with another\ncame interested in taking it from us.\nquestion. What difference does it make?\nA. It is always hard to put yourself in\nWhy should glorify them with their\nsomeone else's shoes, especially those of\nQ. You expect Arab governments to\nthe President of the United States. But I\nown label? But, more seriously, I would\ndisarm or control the fedayeen. But\npoint out that for twenty years Gaza was\nam convinced that, although we fought\nwere Jewish leaders capable of control-\noccupied by the Egyptians. The Egyp-\nalone, the six-day war enhanced the in-\nling Jewish underground groups like the\nterests of the free world in the Middle\ntians' curfew there was much tougher\nStern gang at the time of your own strug-\nEast. There is much alarm about Soviet\nthan ours. The Palestinian refugees in\ngle for independence?\nGaza resisted the Egyptians just as\ninfluence, but what do Egypt and Syria\nA. Yes, to a certain degree we were.\nhave to offer? And the states that do\nstrongly as they resist us.\nBut how can you compare? The Arabs\nhave a lot to offer-Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,\nNewsweek, February 17, 1969\n53"
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