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Jesolutions of C.C., C.P. of Israel j'bout the International Meeting in Moscow
The people must know the truth
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he rallying of all forces gling for peace
RMATION BULLETII\
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from University of Alberta Libraries
https://archive.org/details/informationbulle07comm
CONTENTS:
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5th Plenary Session of the Central Committee 1
Resolutions of the C.C. about the International
Meeting 2
Meeting of comrade L. Brezhnev with the delegation
of the Communist Party of Israel 7
The people must know the truth, speech by
comrade M. Vilner in the Knesset 8
Jerusalem 14
Desecration in the Holy City - Jerusalem 16
Since when has Prof. Mazar become the "Rabbi" of
the Ministry for Religious Affairs? 21
For the rallying of all forces·struggling
for peace 23
For an increased deployment of the Party in the
Election Campaign. 26
Greetings of Communist Party of Israel to the 10th
Congress of the Romanian Communist Party. 28
From the Israeli Press 31
Some chaff from the Mikunis-Sneh harvest 33
5TH PLENARY SESSION OF THE Cfilll7'RAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF ISRAEL
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"Zo Haderekh" - 9.7.69.)
On July 4-5, 1969 the 5th Plenary Session of the C.C. of the
C.P. of Israel was held with the participation of members of the Central Control Connnission.
The Session was chaired by cde. Benjamin Gonen, member of the C.C. Meir Vilner, the Secretary General, delivered the report about the International Meeting of the Connnunist and Workers' Parties convened in June of this year in Moscow, about the activities of the delegation of the C.P. of Israel and its meeting with the Secretary General of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, comrade L. Brezhnev.
Wolf Ehrlich, member of the Political Bureau, delivered the report about the World Peace Congress convened in Berlin.
Ruth Lubitz, member of the Political Bureau, delivered the report about the World Women's Congress convened in Helsinki.
David (Sasha) Khenin, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Central Connnittee, reported about mobiliza-tion of the Party towards the elections of the Histadrut Congress, the Agricultural Workers' Congress and the Local Workers' Councils.
A debate was held and summed up by cde. Meir Vilner.
The Central Connnittee tions.
approved the reports and adopted resolu-
RESOLUTIONS OF THE 5TH PLENARY SESSION OF TH:E C.C. OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF ISRAEL
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF .THE COMMUNIST
A.'® WORKERS' PARTIES
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("Zo Haderekh" - 9.7.69.) .
The Central Committee assesses that the International Meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties held in June this year in Moscow, was a a great historical event for the international Connnunist and workers' movement, for all anti-imperialist forces in the world. The International Meeting �onstitutes an important stage on the road to the strengthening of the unity of the international Communist movement on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism. The connnon general line in°the most important political questions, which was drawn in the funda-mental document of the International Meeting)will contribute much to the strengthening of the unity of action of the Communist and workers' parties, to the unity of struggle of all the anti-imperialist forces.
The International Meeting has proved that the international Connnunist Movement is the most powerful and consistent revolu-tionary force in our days, heading the struggle of the peoples for peace, national independence, for social progress, for democracy and socialism.
The Internatio1',ll Meeting has proved that the international Communist movement is the most democratic movement. Its preparation and its course expressed the equality and indepen-dence of all the Communist parties. At tt.e same time, the International Meeting expressed the increasing aspiration of the Communist parties for unity and co-ordination of action, for collectively elaborating conclusions concerning common political problems, for collective elaboration of theoretical subjects, for common development of the strategy and tactics of the international Communist movement, for the fortification of proletarian internationalism.
The fundamental document of the International Meeting stresses that in the world powerful revolutionary processes are taking place, that at the present stage of the development the possibilities have increased and expanded for a further advance of the revolutionary and progressive forces. At the same time,
the dangers, which are the outcome of imperialism and its aggrssive policy, are increasing. Hence the utmost importance of the unity of action of all Communist parties, of all anti-imperialist forces, for the maximum exploitation of all the new opportunities for a broad assault on imperialism on the forces of reaction and war.
The International Meeting has steced that the world socialist system is the decisive force in the anti-imperialist struggle. Every struggle for liberation finds unfailing support on part of the world socialist system, and first and foremost on part of the Soviet Union.
The Communist and Workers' Parties expressed in the Interna-tional Meeting their particular appreciation of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union which bears on its shoulders the main burden of defense of peace, independence of the peoples and socialism in the world, which contributes the greatest share to the anti-imperialist struggle, to the development of the Marxist-Leninist theory and to the ideological struggle against the class enemy.
The decisive majority of parties in the International Meeting condemned the divisionist, anti-Marxist policy of the Maoist leadership of the CP of China and their military provocations.
The great success of the International Meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties will be of great help to the success of the activity of every Communist party in its country. The strengthening of unity of the Communist movement constitutes
an important source of encouragement for the historical and the day-to-day struggle of every Communist Party and for the general anti-imperialist struggle, will greatly contribute to the strengthening of the unity and co-ordination between the three main revolutionary forces of our days: the world socia-list system, the international working class, the movement for national liberation.
The Central Committee points out the special importance of the Conlusions of the International Meeting concerning the necessity of increasing the ideological struggle against the bourgeois and reformist ideologies and against the nationalist deviations, both rightist and "leftist", within the Communist movement, for the broadening and deepening of the creative Marxist-Leninist theoretical work by each Communist party and
collectively by the Communist movement. The defense of the purity of the Mar,dst-Leninst theory and its creative develop-ment, the strengthening of �he unity of action of all Co!ll!ilU-nist parties and the developments of ties among them - this is the path to the fortification of the ideological and political unity and to overcoming the differences of opinion in the Communist movement.
The C.C. approves all-the documents of the International Meeting: The fundamental document - "The tasks of the struggle against imperialism at the present stage and the unity of action of the Communist and Workers' Parties, of all anti-imperialist forces11; the "Appeal for the defense of peace' the appeal "Independence, freedom and peace for Vietnam"; and "About the centenary of V.I.Lenin".
The documents of the Consultative Meeting which were
elaborated in common provide the Communist and Workers' Parties with a basis for the strengthening of proletarian internationalism, for the struggle against nationalist tendencies, which constitute the chief danger within the intetnatiional Communist movement, for the defense of Marxism-Leninism from opportunist-rightist and adventurist-leftist deviations.
The C.C. points out the particular contribution of the International Meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties to the anti-imperialist strugg.le._for peace in the Middle East.
The-special statement of the Meeting on the occasion of the second anniversary of the June War and the Conclusions concerning the Middle East included in the fundamental document which condemn the policy of aggression and territorial anne-xations of the ruling circles in Israel and which call for the full implementation of the Security Council Resolution of
Nov. 22, 1967, for the establishment of a stable peace between Israel and the Arab countries-, express the interests of all the peoples in our region, show the path to ensuring peace and security for all states.
The C.C. highly appreciates the fact that the delegations of the Arab Communist parties and the delegation of our Communist Party of Israel reached a common position and a common plan for ensuring peace and the rights of all the peoples in our region. Thus they contributed their share to the success of the Consultative Meeting, for the strengthening of proletarian internationalism in the international Communist and workers' movement and for the strengthening of the struggle for peace,
against imperialism and its agents in our region.
The C.C. points out that the Consultative Meeting has proved the correctrness of the assessment of our 16th Congress, that our Communist Party of Israel is the bridge to the socialist world and the revolutionary workers' movement and to the anti-imperialist forces in the Arab world, the correctness of the assessment of our 16th Congress that on the basis of a correct programme, which expresses the interests of all peoples, the anti-imperialist struggle, the cause of peace and progress,
it is definitely possible tc find a common language and to create relations of mutual confidence between the toilers and people of Israel and the Arab toilers and people.
The C.C. stresses that the Meeting and the talks held by our party delegation with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, have proved beyond all doubt that now there exists a historical opportunity to establish a lasting peace between Israel and the Arab countries, to ex_clude war from the sphere of Israeli-Arab relations by the full implementation of the Security Council Resolution of November 1967.
The principal obstacle to the cessation of the bloodshed, to the prevention of a new war, to the establishment of a stable peace, lies in the nonconse_nt pt:_ _the Israeli Government to the full irnplementat:[on--oy-the Security Council Resolution, and in particular in its refusal to withdraw from all the occupied areas and to agree to a just solution of the question of the Arab refugees. As against this, Arab states, such as Egypt and Jordan, have given their consent to the full implementation of the Security Council Resolution, to the abolition of the state of war, to the recognition of the right to sovereign existance of the St�te of Israel within recognized and secure frontiers, to free navigation for Israel in the Tiran Strait and the Suez Canal.
The C.C. resolves to conduct a broad explanatory campaign concerning the prospects for peace in our region and to rally all forces of peace in Israel in a united struggle for turning the opportunity for establishing peace into a historical fact.
The C.C. resolves to organize one-day seminaries in our Party, broad explanatory campaigns among the sympathizers, among the workers, youth and popular masses concerning the international Meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties, concerning the
great importance of the Conclusions in relation to the general ca<�se of the anti-imperialist struggle for peace, independence of the peoples, democracy and socialism, and concerning the special importance for the cause of peace in the Middle East.
MEETING OF COMRADE L. BREZHNEV WITHTHE DELEGATION OF THE
C.P. OF ISRAEL TO THE MOSCOW CONSULTATION
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( "Pravda" - 21.6.69.)
The Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Committe of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, comrade
L.I. Brezhnev, received on 19th of June, this year, the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Israel, comrade Meir Vilner and the members of the Political Bureau T. Toubi,
S. Khenin and S. Khamis.
Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, cde.
B.N. Ponomaryow, took part in the conversation.
In the conversation, which passed in a comradely atmosphere, the sides exchanged their opinions concerning the situation
in the Middle East a.id other problems of common interest. The leaders of the CP of Israel told about the struggle of the CP of Israel against the aggressive policy of the Israeli Govern-ment for the vital interests of the workers of their country, for peace in the Middle East.
The representatives of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and of the Communist Party of Israel emphasized their prepare-dness to continue the efforts for a political settlement of the Middle East conflict on the basis of full implementation of the Security Council Resolution of November 22, 1967 and the establishment of lasting peace in the Middle East.
The- two sides highly.evaluated the results of the Consultative Meeting and pointed to the unity of opinions of the CPSU and the CP of Israel in the fundamental questions of the interna-tional struggle against imperialism, for the rallying of the international Communist movement according to the documents of the Consultative Meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties,
THE PEOPLE �llST KNOW THE TRUTH - THERE EXISTS A Rfu\..L PROSPECT FOR A STABLE PEACE
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(From cde. Meir Vilner's speech in the Knesset)
"The public is flooded with false information about the situation. In the press, the radio.and TV, in speeches of mini.sters and leaders of parties, the public is imbued with desnaration and helnlessness . Peace is described as a fata morgana. The peopl� is called upon to reconcile itself to· a situation of mutual bloodBhed, to be prepared for the coming war.
"The public is told: There is no other way. The Arabs are not ready to reconcile themselves to our existence. They have one single.object - to destroy us.
"In ohe of her speeches the Prime Minister said that at the base of the conflict lie not the occupied territories but the unwillingness of the Arab to reconcile themselves to our existence. But simultaneously the Prime Minister and other ministers too declare that even in exchange for peace we will not return all territori•es. So, what is the truth ?
"Is there a real prospect for peace between Israel and th� Arab states? To this we reply with a resolute yes. Yes�
"Gentlemen, there exists a real feasibility to achieve peace and even a stable peace. I wish to emphasize this as strongly as possible: Now there exists an historical opportunity for a political solution of the crisis and for a stable peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Arab conflict...
Here the speaker is interrupted by David Hacohen (chairman of the Knesset Commission for Foreign and Security Affairs).
Meir Vilner (continuing): "Our delegation has just returned from the international meeting of the Communist parties held in Moscow and from a meeting with the Secretary General of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Brezhnev:
David Hacohen: "A Fascist! Brezhnev is a fascist".
Meir Vilner: "You are an insolent fascist. Respect for the
the Soviet Union! Thanks to the Soviet Union we live and thanks to it the State of Israel exists...
D. Hacohen (continues to behave riotously): "The regime is fascist and he is a fascist".
M. Vilner: "Respect for the head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union! The Soviets have saved you, have saved the Jewish people. You are not worthy to be chairman of the Knesset Commission for Foreign and Security Affairs. You impudent jerk. Shame on you for talking in such a manner..,"
D. Hacohen: "I have nothing to be ashamed about".
M. Vilner: "It is a shame that such a person heads the Foreign and Security Commission".
After some further altercations, M. Vilner says: "Your situa-tion is difficult, so you nerves are frayed".
Only after the intervention of the chairman of the session.. it
is possible for M. Vilner to continue - for some time:
"I wish to tell the Knesset - and by this means - the workers and the whole people of Israel that the information published in this country in print and orally, inclusive of the informa-tion given today in the Knesset by the Prime Minister, about the four-power talks, about the Soviet-American talks, about the results of the visit paid to Cairo by the Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko, about the character of the latest Soviet proposals - that all this information is misinformation,-in order to lead the public astray.
"The truth is that progress was made in the big power-talks, the truth is that the talks between Gromyko and Nasser were successful and an agreement was reached..."
�_l!ausner (Indep. Lip.) interrupts the speecher.
M. Vilner: "... an important agreement in favour of advancing
peace.11
D. Hacohen. (continues shouting).
M. Vilner: "The truth is that the Soviet proposals are not less favourable to Israel than to the Arab peoples.·
"Before the establishment of the St:ate of Israel, too,
Mrs. G. Heir displayed a lack of understanding of elementary political matters when she opposed the co-operation of the Soviet Union in the solution cf the Palestinian question. "wnat is the subject: now under discussion ? It is the talks concerning the establishment of e stable peace in olir region. The subject under discussion is not the return to the armiS� tice lines or to any other temporary settlement. The Soviet
Union is acting for a·stable peace in our region. Egypt and Jordan have declared their preparedness for such a peace with Israel. Peace shall be based upon full implementation of the Security Council Resolution. These talks are about an inclusive agreement, according to which implementation shall start after all points of the agreement will be defined; there are to be, no late or early. The talks are about the with-drawal from all the occupied territories according to the Security Council Resolution, which stated that there would
be not territorial advantages accruing from the War. The talks 1:1re about·ensuring the right·to existence of all states in the region, including Israel, within recognized and secure borders. The talks are about the abolition of belligerence between Israel and the Arab states and the permanent exclusion of war from the sphere of Israeli-Arab relations..."
After a series of interruptions, M. Vilner is able to continue:
"The plan speaks about free navigation for Israel, in the Tiran Strait as well as in the Suez Canal, and about a just soluticn of the problem of the Arab refugees. The placing of UNO forces in our region is also mentioned.
Being repeatedly" interrupted, the speaker says:
"The truth, these matters, will reach the people. Your shout-ing will not help you.
"The talks are about guarantees to be given by the four great powers and the Security Council. All these fundamental points are agreed to by Moscow and also by Cairo.
"The form of the negotiations will not constitute any obstacle, gentlemen, from the moment on, when the Israeli Government gives its consent to the full implementation of'the Security Counc·il Resolution.
"What, then, impedes the achievement of a political solutfcm of the crisis in our region and the establishment of a last-ing peace between Israel and the Arab countries ? • The main obstacle today is the demand of the Israeli Government for territorial annexations, the nationalist policy on part of the Government,a policy of creating faits accomplis in the occupied areas. There is no doubt that certain American, West German and British circles encourage this policy..
.They don't do this out of love for Israel, but because of their egoistical, imperialist considerations in our region.
"The Government's policy is also testified to by the resolu-tions of the millionaires' conference, which ended yesterday, concerning the establishment of economic enterprises in the occupied territories and by the proclamation by the Government rperpresentative at that conference that the Government is ready to contribute to the investments made by the millionaires in the occupied territories by giving loans amounting to 50% of the investments, additional to giving political guarantees.
Such resolutions do not testify to any aspirations for a political solution and to peace.
"We are sure that when the public will know the truth, when it will know that it is now possible to achieve peace, a life of security, the cessation of the nightmare of war from our lives, if we only renounce the policy of territorial annexa-tions, many people will revolt against the policy of the Government and wili demand the implementation of the Security Council Resolution.
"The main impediments to peace are thus clear. They are the aspiration of the Israeli Government for territorial annexa-tions and for the elimination of the national rights of the Palestinian Arab people.
"While we are saying this, we do not at all disregard the fact that in the Arab world too there exists an extreme trend, which does not reconcile itself to the very existence of the State of Israel.
"Against this chauvinist trend one has to struggle without compromising. The occupationist and annexationist policy of the Government feeds the upholders of this trend in the Arab world, who also use repugnant means of struggle, such as the exploding of an infernal machine against civilians in Tel-Aviv.
ll
We condemn such an action.
"The Israeli Government on its part carries out operations against the Arab civil population and civil objectives in the occupied areas and beyond them in Jordan and Egypt. We resolutely condemn these operations.
"Madam, chairwoman, -fhese matters are too serious to be decided upon by shouting. It is shocking to hear the falsification of facts, the campaign of misleading public. opinion ... 11
The Prime Minister, G. Meir (cynically): "This is correct".
"...and the false conclusions that there is no prospect for peace. This misinformation is intentional .. They don't wish the people to know that there is a real prospect for peace.
"The guarantee for security, peace and Israeli sovereignty, free navigation, abolition of the state of war ,
all these are inseparable parts of that stable peace settle-ment towards which the Soviet Government works. And it has convinced in favour of this settlement important Arab elements, among them Governments.
"I wish to conclude by saying that if the Government lends a helping hand to the full implementation of the Security Council Resolution, the situation of Israel will fundamentally change in its favour;" Then also conditions will be created for the renewal of diplomatic relations with the Soviet 'Jnion and other socialist countries. The State of Israel will gain in every respect. Conversely, the co�tinuation of the present obdurate policy of the Government has no prospect of success, nor is i½ a just policy, and it might cause the missing of the historic opportunity to achieve peace, it is liable to cause a severe deterioration of the situation, and in the end gravest harm
to the fundamental interests of Israel.
"We propose to the members of the Knesset to leave the path of nationalist arrogance, the competition of ann�xationist and extremist declarations among the various political parties and groups. National responsibility, the well-being and security of Israel, the interest of Israeli-Arab peace demand of us co grasp with both hands the historical opportunity which exists now for achieving a lasting peace. Towards this end we will
[ 12 ]
work with all our strength. We extend our hand to all forces in the people, irrespective of political views and party affiliation, for a joint struggie for realizing the great prospect that has been created for the establishme'nt of a lasting peace between Israel and the Arab states, for achiev-ing peace in which our people is so interested.
JERUSALEM
( Editorial - "Zo Haderekh" - 9.7.69.)
The City of Jerusalem occupies a particular place in the comp-lex problems of our region. Not exactly from the legal point of view3 for the Israeli occupation forces have to evacuate Arab Jerusalem just as all the areas occupied during the June War. It is no accident that the only sentence from the Security Council Resolution of Nov. 1967 which was quoted in the Resolu-tion of the Council chat was adopted this week, was the one which says that one ought not to acquiesce in any acquisition
of territories by military occupation.
The particular place of the city lies in the particular interest shown by the three religions, by the two peoples living in Jerusalem, also in the particular interest of'world public opinion in the destinies and future of the city..
Hence the position of the rulers of Israel that "all belongs to me" cannot be accepted by world public opinion and there is no prospect that it will ever be accepted. There passed not many days since the cease-fire came into force, when UNO adopted, almost unanimously, a resolution which abolishes all steps of annexation of East Jerusalem to the State of Israel.
The very occupation is illegal. But as long as it continues, international law obliges the occupant to avoid changes in the legal status, intervention in the life of the population, confiscation of lands. The Security Council Resolution that was adopted these days ananimously states that the rulers of Israel are violating their international commitmer,ts, condemns them for this in the sharpest form, states that their steps are not valid and clearly demands-their cancellation. Thus the Security Council Resolution reflects the profound shock of world public opinion in face of the arbitrary deportations and arrests, in face of the blowing=up of houses, in face of the attempt to create faita accomplis for the perpetuation of the annexation.
The Israeli Government was completely isolated in the Security Council. Even its traditional "friends" did not wish, or were not able to, support it, and to defend its positions and. its steps.
The resolution was drastic and without any disassociations, The absence of the word "sanctions" and of the demand for an embargo on arms does not change the fact that this resolution is sharper than the previous one. The Council also resolved this time that in case of a negative reply or in �ase of no reply being received from Israel� the Council would meet again without delay in order to decide upon the character of further steps to be taken. The significance of this is that the juridical-political course taken against the Israeli Govern-ment has not ended, but will continue without necessitating any further initiative on the part of Jordan.
The sharp opposition of the Israeli Government and the boast-ful speeches of its ministers cannot change the bitter reality. The increasing isolation of the Israeli Government is to the detriment of the State, hits at its economy which depends on other countries and first and foremost on the assistance of
�he peoples in the establishment of peace in the region.
Only with strong imperialist support will the ruling Israeli circles be able to continue their policy of occupation and annexations. It turns out that even the USA is under increas-ing international pressure, to diminish this support.
The State of Israel came into being 22 years ago in accordance;
-with a resolution of the UNO. The disregard for this interna-tional organization, the refusal to obey its resolutions, gravely harm the basis on which the State came into being 'and on which it rests.
The continuation of the occupation and the aggravation of the terror against the population in the occupied territories sow hatred and enmity, increase the bloodshed, remove the prospects for achieving a jus� and lasting peace. All this put Israel against the UNO and against the peoples of the.world.
The conclusion is clear. It is vitally necessary to change thoroughly Israeli policy. It is vitally necessary to fully implement the Security Council Resolution of November 1967. It is vitally necessary to march· along the path which leads to peace.
DESECRATION IN THE HOLY CITY - JERUSALE1�
By Joseph Algazy
("Zo Haderekh" - 25.6.69.)
The new acts of demolition carried out at the Mugrabi Gate leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in propinquity of the Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, are lengthening the list of acts of desecration executed by the occupation authorities since the June 1967 War. They strive systematically to change the character and status of the city, to dilute the Arab popu-lation and to judaize the Arab part of Jerusalem.
This time the vandalic work of destruction was conducted by the Ministry for Religious Affairs and the m;i.nisterial "hawk" Zerah Wahrhaft.ing, assisted by the Mayor of West Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, who signed the orders for demolition and be-hav�d hypocritically throughout the whole affair.
The Ministry for Religious Affairs had striven for many months to continue the demolition near the Wailing Wall, but had encountered some difficulties. Various circles in the Foreign Ministry displayed no enthusiasm to approve new demolitions
in Jerusalem, as the previous acts of destruction had evoked a wave of protests in the world, and mainly in the UNO. It had also been indicated that the destructive operations in
Jerusalem contradict the international convention for conserva-tion of cultural assets. In the end the Minister for Religious Affairs found, the formula which freed Foreign Minister Abba Eben from his hesitatiens, namely that the buildings in question were allegedly ramshackle and constituted a danger for the public.
Among the destroyed buildings there was one named "Al Zawiya hafakhriya" which in the past had served for many generations as a Moslem religious school. In his retort to the announcement of the Minister for Religious Affairs who had claimed that this building had been ramshackle, the Chairman of the Moslem Council of Jerusalem, Sheikh Hilmi al-Muhtassab, published a statement which refuted the fictions of the annexationist minister who exploits religion as a weapon for territorial annexation. In this statement Sheikh Hilmi al-Muhtassab pointed out:
_I am sorry to point out that the announcement of the Minister for Religious Affairs describes the matter incorrectly. The facts p�ove that the bu:iµ.ing was firm, inhabitated and not
ramshackle. Insofar as any shocks did occur, this resulted from the digging and acts of destruction carried out ac the foundations of this building. It is well - known that the actions of demolition in the Mugrabi Quarter and around the "Al Zawiya hafakhriya" started right from the beginning of tha occupation and are still being continued. All this for unlawful and unjust purposes, which were proclaimed several times by the Israeli authorities. The Israeli authorities disregarded the protests repeatedly made by the Moslem institutions. We reject what was said in the statement of the Minister for Religious affairs and refuse to keep silent in face of the falsifications. We condemn all acts of harassment directed against the holy places, the property of the Wakf (Moslem religious fund) and historical sites. We call upon God and history to be witnesses to these acts of violence. Many signs prove that digging operations similar to those carried out under the "Al Zawiya hafakhriya" are being carried out under the foundatjons of the ancient "Al-
,Tankisiya" school. All our protests_ to the responsible
Sheikh Hilmi al-Mukhtassab speaks about the demolitions with bitterness. He points out that these are well-planned actions, intended to hit at the Moslem character of various parts of Jerusalem. The sheikh particularly suffers from the machina-tions against the Al Aqsa Mosque.
He said_ that Muhallll!led al Gub'a was evicted last week from the building which he had been guarding; this building is situated south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Sheikh al-Muhtassab suspects that this eviction is a prelude to the demolition of the building, the walls of which support the al-Aqsa Mosque. The Sheikh complains that the occupation authorities constantly violate international law concerning the rights of a people living under occupation. To those who dare to complain, the occupant retorts: If you are not content - the bridge is open! (meaning the bridge to the east bank of the Jordan river -transl.). But the people want to remain in their homeland. Sheikh Hilmi al-Muhtassab describes all the repeated violations of the feelings of the people and, using an ancient Arab proverb, asks: How do you enslave people whose mothers have born them in freedom 1
Mrs. Yagiha Abu-Su'ud who was described by the authorities as "a woman who refused to withdraw her belongi!lgs from her apartment:". Her version of th,:, story of the demolition of her house is completely di{ferent. She is silver-haired, proud, strong as a cedar and her whole appearance comnands respect. She told us :
The lower storeys of our house were built 760 years ago. The building wi,tnessed events throughout many generations.
Immediately after the occupation the Israeli authorities paid attention to our house. Many times they asked me to evacuate it, but I refused. I knew they want to destroy it. The building was strong and firm and capable of standing in its place for years and generations to come, unless there came destroyers. The great sum of money they offered us for evacuating the house could not entice us into renouncing a property that was something of a historical site. Over a lengthy period digging by means of big bulldozers was unertaken beneath the foundations of the building. We comprehended the purpose of the excavations. They wished to shake the foundations of the building and indeed there appeared here and there some crevice. The Municipal authorities claimed the. bni 1dfog was ramshackle and con-stituted a danger to the public, out I too brought building engineers who, after examining the house, stated there was no
danger of a breakdown. On Friday, June 30, a man appeared who used to come often trying to induce us to leave the house... His appellation is "the muk..'-itar". (Why do they all hide their real names?) Now he told us that on the following Sunday the house would be demolish�d. I told him: Bring me this announcel!lent in writing and I will appeal. He promised to bring an order for the. demolition on Sunday. But on that day he showed up without any written order. He just entered my
·house and immediately ripped the door out. Savagely and hurriedly they began evacuating my belongings. When I saw that I could not prevent the evil and having no other choice, I asked for a delay of two hours in order to take out my belongings by myself, but this was not granted. They took everything. I hardly managed to take some necessary medica-ments; They took with them works of art and ancient b0oks, among them manuscripts. I don't know where all my belongings are ...
When the evacuation started, one of the members of the family, Tawfiq Abu Su'ud, turned to the Mayor, Teddy Kollek. He was
18 J
neceived by T. Kollek, who told him "off the record", that he himself,. were he in Wagiha Abu-Su'ud's place, would refuse to evacuate the house. T. Kollek aske� his visitor what he wished him to do and when told that all that was desired was
� delay of the demolition, so that the belongings could be eyacuated, he instructed Benvinisti, the man in charge of the Old City affairs in the Munic.ipal.Council, to stop the demolition. Benvinisti left end then kept coming and going, saying he could not contact the people concerned by phone.
After a long time, Kollek sent Benvinisti together with
T. Abu-Su'ud to the site, but by then the demolition was in full swing, and Bemvinisti said to T. Abu-Su'ud: I am sorry, we have come too late...
Teddy Kollek errs if he believes he has succeeded in mislead-ing the Abu Su'ud family and the inhabitants of East Jerusalem with his hypocritical behaviour towards Tawfiq Abu-Su'ud and with his delaying action, when that man was in his office, waiting for the contact to be made by telephone...
Concerning the beating received by two foreign newspapermen,
William Shmick of the "Baltimore Sun" and John Wallis,
Mrs. Wagiha Abu-Su'ud told me that she had witnessed that shameful incident. The two journalists had tried to photograph the cruel evacuation of the elderly lady, and were brutally removed. One of the foreign newspapermen had his shirt torn and his arm bruised. When Mrs. W. Abu-Su'ud- attempted to defend them, she was pushed against the wall and hurt. The
two journaliats were forcibly dragged from the site to prevent them from reporting to their papers about the demolitions· in Jerusalem.
Since the June 1967 War the UNO General Assembly adopted two resolutions against 'the steps taken in East Jerusalem by the Israeli Govenment. On July 4, 1967 the UNO Assembly expressed its opposition to the annexation of Arab Jerusalem to Israel. On July 15 of the same year the UNO Assembly expressed its regret about "Israel's not having implemented the resolution
to abolish all steps already taken and immediately to avoid any
action which would cause a change in the status of the city". The Israeli Government systematically· continues to violate the UNO resolutions with respect to Jerusalem. The latest demolitions in Jerusalem by the Israeli Government constitute again. acts of provocation against the feelings ..,nd rights of the Arab inhabitants of East Jerusalem, against world public
opinion and against UNO. Gravest of all is the fact that with these steps the Israeli Government hits at the perspectives
to achieve a just peaceful solution of the present conflict in the Middle East, and this is an unforgivable sin against our people and against peace.
SINCE WHEN HAS PROFESSOR MA.ZAR BECO}lE THE "RABBI" OF THE MINISTRY FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS?
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(A letter sent to the press by the well-known Dr. Shimon Shershevsky. Prof. Mazar of the Jerusalem Eebrew Universicy is one of the ueoole responsible for "scientific" excavations in Arab Jerusaiem. -the transl.)
Dear sir,
On Saturday morning I went to pray at the Wailing Wall, as I usually do on Saturdays. Most of the worshippers were under the impact of the explosion which occurred on the eve of the Sabbath and many crowded around those who told about the incident. The great majority was of the opinion that it was a reaction to the demolition of Arab houses in the vicinity of the wailing wall and expressed with sharp words their opposition to the action of the Ministry for Religious Affairs (nWhy do they do this? In order to expand the ;,lace
in front of the Wall, so that men and women can pray together?"
-"Since when has Professor Mazar become the 'rabbi' of the Ministry for Religious Affairs and gives orders for excava-tions?" etc.) Arabs from various strata, whom I met, were all convinced that this was an act of provocation, so as to provide the 'Zionist' authorities with a pretext for other actions, such as confiscations, demolitions etca Already on Saturday morning Moslem notables met in Jerusalem to discuss the situation and after a lengthy debate they published a statement, which says, inter alia:
"On Friday, June 20, 1969, in the Arab part of Jerusalera, in a street generally used by Moslems and Jews who pray in the Al-Aqsa· Mosque and at the Wailing Wall, three bombs exploded,
wounding a number of passers-by, mostly Arabs. We regret such acts of sabotage which contradict, as we know, the demands of all religions. We are glad that no human beings were killed and wish speedy reC'overy to all injured, Jews. and Arabs alike.
"During the month of June, 9 houses have been demolished, which belong to the precincts of the Al-Aqsa Mosqe, among them a mosque, a religious school and the homes of one of the ancient families of Jerusalem. The buildings had been renovated only 30 years before and were in good repair till the beginning of the excavations near the Wailing Wall. The inhabitants of the buildings protested and refused to receive
compensations. We protest against these deeds of the Israeli authorities which contradict all human rights in the world"...
At the end the statment says: "We demand that the houses which were destroyed be rebuilt in their ancient Jerusalemite style ,The Israeii authorities are renovating the Jewish houses in the Old City destroyed in time of war. The hous.es near the Al Aqsa Mosque were destroyed not in time of war!
The Jewish houses in �he Old city are rebuilt by Jewish and Arab workers. We propose that the Arab houses near the
Al Aqsa Mosque be also rebuilt in common labour by Arab and Jewish workers. Thus injustice will be supplanted by justice, evil by good and acts of destruction by acts of construction and peace",
We believe it is worth-while that you and the Government take into consideration this statement and will avoid any action which might seem to confirm the assumption of the Arab circles in Jerusalem arid will damage the name of the State and our honour as Jews and Israelis.
(Signed: Dr. Shimon Shershevsky)
FOR THE RALLYING OF ALL FORCES STRUGGLING FOR PEACE WITHOUT ANNEXATIONS, FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION
Statement of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Israel
(" Zo Haderech" - 16.7.69)
The "national unity" Government has entered a blind alley. In result of its obstinate policy its isolation in the inter-national arena has increased. By its demand for territorial annexations the Government curbs any advance towards peace precisely at the time when the international efforts for the establishment of a stable peace are increasing. Meantime the bloodshed continues and the war danger is being intensified.
The impasse in which the policy of the "national unity" Gover-nment finds itself increases the confusion and the contradic� tions inside the Government and outside it.
In the Government there is a growing pressure from the side of the extreme militarists, the circles of minister Dayan and "Gahal". The rally held by the supporters of Dayan in the "Cinerama" hall was an act of political pressure in direction of sharpening the policy _oC_annexations and of war, for the intensification-of-the-assault upon the living standard and rights of the working people, and the democratic rights - for raising Dayan and his supporters to the key positions in the Government.
The Prime Minister, Golda Meir, who expresses the obdurate policy of the Government, did not come out in struggle against Dayan's policy, but-proclaimed that there are no differences of-opinion with Dayan in questions·of foreign policy and security. Thus the election campaign was started with the ruling circles competing with one another in making extreme declarations.
The "national unity" government which is based on the principle of collective responsibility of all its sectors, has failed in its policy and did not make it possible to bring the people peace arid security. Therefore it fears the verdict of the people. Hence the sharpening of contradictions within the coalition parties, hence the possibility of split in the Labour Party and hence the splits which have already occurred in Gahal
and Mapam. The contradictions will continue sharpening in the measure in.which the failure will deepen and the failure of the Government's adventurist policy will become clearer to the people.
Among the poeple - the workers, tha toilers in ind�stry and agriculture, the intellectuals and the youth - there is an ever-growing aspiration for a stable and just peace, there is an ever-growing support for peace without. annexations, on the
basis of the full implementation of the Security Counci� Resol-ution of November 22, 1967. Hence also the growing conscious-ness regarding the necessity of uniting all sound forces in the· people, those who grasp the dangers stemming from the continuation of the official policy and who are seeking a realist peaceful way-out from the deadlock of ceaseless blood-shed.
Our Communist Party of Israel appeals to all political circles, to all electoral lists and public figures who struggle for
a peace without annexations on the basis of the fell implementa-tion of the Security Council Resolution of November 22, 1967, to co-operate in the election campaigns and outside th=. This is a realist peace front in the given conditions and it may fulfil an important task in the political life of the country. The plan of establishing a joint list of the opponents of the 11national unity" Government under the present circt!mstances is not realistic. ·At the same time, under present circumstances it is possible and important to rally in the struggle all forces and �ublic figures, irrespective of political views and party affiliation, who demand a peace without annexations, who demand the implementation.in full of the Security Council Resolution.
Our Communist Party of Israel is of the opinion that the slogan of a "left front" as it is put forth by the Milmnis-Sneh people, who support the policy of the Foreign Ministry, is a deceptive slogan, the only purpose of which is the creation of obstacles to the rallying of all those who demand peace without annexations and the full implementation of the Security Council Revolution.
We do not consider the Milcunis-Sneh group an element of the left. Its political proposals for a ":!-eft front" are nothing but a cover for the Government's policy.
What is necessary and possible for the forces of peace in Israel is a front for peace with a clear and well-defined programme: Peace without annexations on the basis of the full implementation of the Security Council Resolution.
The Communist Party of Israel - will act with all its power for the creation of such a front, for its expansion and for a loyal co-operation with any element that wishes to advance the cause of peace and justice. 13.7.69.
FOR AN INCEEASED DEPLOYMENT 01/ THE PARTY IN THE ELECTION
C1'.HPAIGN
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("Zo l!aderekh - 16.7.69.).
The C.C. holds the opinion that the adventurist policy of
the Government of 11fl�tional unityu, which prevents a political solution of the crisis in our region and an Israeli-Arab peace settle.�ent has gone bankrupt and has reached a deadlock. Ccnvarsely, the peace programme of our Communist Party, based on the real prospects now created for the establishment of a lasting and just peace in our region, is arousing an ever-growing interest among the general public. These developments enable our Party and oblige it to start a big political offensive mobilization of the toilers of
town and country, of the intellectuals, the youth, the women, Jews and Arabs, in support of the peace programme of our Party, for the strengthening of the New Communist List in Israel in the elections to the Histadrut, the K.�esset and the Local Councils.
In view of the bankruptcy of the official policy and in view of the increasing desire of the public to listen to the word of peace pronounced by oar Party, the authorities have lately increasased the persecutions against leaders and activists or our Communist Party and of the Young Communist League of Israel, particularly among the Arab population. The number of restriction orders has increased and the limitations set by them have aggravated. This prevents the activists of our Party from moving freely about, and prevents our Party from freely conducting the election camapaign. Members of the young Communist League of Israel were thrown into prison for a period of many months because of writing the slogan: "Retreat to peace". The number of house arrests and orders for daily personal presentatioIL� at the police stations has increased, The number of arrests has increased The campaign of terror and threats has increased. The Government parties are afraid of the political contest with the opponents of their policy, they are afraid that the people will k.�ow the truth about who and what prevents the cessation of the bloodshed, the establishment of a lasting peace in our region. Therefore they prepare the elections under conditions of
increased terror and political persecutions.
The C.C. expr:e.saes its p.�otes-t -againslc the repressive drive
against: eur C0!l'.m•.mist Party of Israel and the YCL of Israel, demands to put a stop co the politicalte·rror against fighters for peace,, to cancel the restriction orders and limitations of movement, to free the po1itical prisoners:.to cancel the house arrests and orders for reporting at the police st.ations9 to stop the arbitrary detentions.
The C.C. calls upon all Israeli democratic forces and fighters for peace to raise a voice of protest against the trampling underfoot of the democratic freedoms , against the increasing police terror directed against Communists and all fighters
for peace. Let us be united in our demand: Democratic elec-tions must be ensured!
The C.C. calls upon all members of the Party and the YCL of Israel, upon all sympathizers, upon all class-conscious
.workers, upon all Israeli fighters for peace - to do all in their power in order to strengthen the force of the Communist Party of Israel, whose list in the forthcoming elections to the Histadrut Congress, to the Working Women's Congress, to the Agricultural Workers' Congress and to the Local Workers' Councils is "the New Communist List".
Strengthening the power of the New Communist List means strengthening the struggle for the unity of action of all Israeli fighters for peace.
Strengthening the power of the New Com.'Uunist List means strengthening the struggle for the interests of the workers and popular masses, for turning the Histadrut into a shield of defense for the interests of the workers, in face of the employers and the Govermnent.
Time is short and the tasks are many. Let us mobilize as one man to work for the success of the New Communist List in Israel in the elections.
{ 27 )
GREETINGS OF COMMUNIST PARTY OF ISRAEL TO THE 10th CONGRESS OF ROMANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY
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The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Israel has been asked to send a·fraternal message to the 10th Cougress of the Romanian Communist Party.
The followingmessage was sent by the C.C. of the Communist Party of Israel to the C.C. of the Romanian Communist Party:
August 3, 1969
Central Committee Romanian Communist Party Bucharest
Dear Comrades,
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Israel sends fraternal greetings to the 10th Congress of the Romanian Communist Party, to the delegates of the Congress, and through them to the whole Romanian working people.
&y the 10th Congress of the Romanian Communist Party con-tribute to the upbuilding of socialism in Socialist Romania
�_ay the 10th Congress of the Romanian Communist Party further
strengthen the worldwide struggle against imperialism, for peace, national independence, social progress, democracy and socialism.
Dear Comrades,
We, the Col!h�unists of Israel, Jews and Arabs, are exerting our utmost to rally more and more people of our country for putt-ing an end to the perpetual bloodshed, for avoiding a new war in the Middle East, by fully implementing the Security Council Resolution of November 22, 1967, and thus establishing a just and lasting peace. More and more people of our country are coming to realize that the official Israeli policy of refusing to implement the Security Council Resolution, that the official policy of expansionism and refusal to withdraw from the Arab territories occupied during the June 1967 war, is the main obstacle blocking the road towards the much-cherished political settlement in cur region and lasting peace.
The working people of Israel, who are paying the hard price for war and occupation, are raising higher and higher the banner of struggle for the defence of their daily interests and rights, for the defence of the elementary right to strike, against mobilization orders issued to strikers, against the official policy of strikebreaking and against new laws which curtail democracy.
In our consistent struggle for a peaceful solution of the present crisis in the Middle East, our Party draws courage and hope from the growing struggle of the Israeli working class, and from the growing number of intellectuals, working people and young people who are coming out against the policy of war and occupation, for ensuring the national rights of all peoples and states concerned, including Israel and the Palestinian Arab people. We draw courage and hope from the principled solidarity with our Party by the world Communist movement and all the anti-imperialist and progressive forces. Our Party is successfully standing up against the attacks of reaction, helped by the anti-communist renegade group of Mikunis-Sneh, on our Party. Thus we are developing our struggle for a peaceful alternative notwithstanding sallies, imprisonment of party activists and the curtailment of the elementary right of movement of many activists and leaders of our party. We are successfully strengthening Jewish-Arab brotherhood and _the Jewish-Arab-unity of our Party.
Dear comrades,
Our Party attaches much importance to the task of further strengthening the unity of the international Communist move-ment on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian interna-tionalism. The International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties held in Moscow this June, in which both our Parties took part, was an important milestone in the history of our movement; The documents adopted by the fleeting, which both our parties endorsed, are of great significance for each communist party and for the anti-imperialist struggle.
Certainly, comrades, you will understand, that we cannot agree, after all that happened, to your maintaining fraternal relations with the anti-communist group of Mikunis-Sneh,which is appear-ing most clearly aga{nst our Communist movement and against the socialist countries, and giving full service to the Israeli official government's pro-imperialist policy of expansionism
and attack on all peace forces in Israel.
Certainly, comrades, you will understand.why we consider your request to that group to send a message to your 10th Congress as a violation of the norms of the international Communist movement concerning fraternal relations between Communist parties, and as an act of interference in the internal affairs of our Party. Fraternal relations with this nationalistic anti-communist group is not serving the cause of peace.
Our Party wishes to further friendly and fraternal relations between both our parties on the basis of equality and non-interference in the internal affairs.
Yours fraternally,
for Communist Party of Israel Central Committee
FROM THE ISRPJ'>!.I PRESS
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(The following passages are excerpts from repo1cts published in the evening papers "Ma'ariv" on 25.6.69. and "Yediot Ahronot" on 26.6.69).
From the "Ma'ar:!.v", 25.6.69.:
Notables from Gaza yesterday sent a letter. to the commander of the Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, Maj.Gen.
M. Gur and to the Governor of the Gaza District, Lt. Col.
M. Eleazari and requested them to investigate the circumstan� ces in which four inhabitants of Gaza and Jebeliya found their death. They had been killed on June 14 in the fields of Mefalsim.
"The 16 signatories to the letter claim that the four young men had been peasants who went to cultivate their fields near the green line (the 1949 armistice lines - transl.) and were unarmed. These notables also demand·an inquiry to be made into the cases of throwing of hand grenades on June 17 and 20 in the Fajaya Quarter of Gaza. The two grenades were thrown in the same section of the road in the centre cf the quarter and caused the death of two inhabitants and injuries to 36 men and boys... The signatotie&-�-0--the letter claim that the grenades were thrown from an a� vehicle which in both cases moved along the road ... "
The "Yediot Ahronot" reports on 26.6 that the signatories
were headed by the Mayor of Gaza, Ragib a_l-Alami, and that the letter ended in the demand for the withdrwal of the Israeli army from their lands - in order to advance peace.
The reactionary "Jewish Chronicle", published in London, sponsored a public opfr1ion poll in Israel: "Who is for demolitions of houses and who against?" The possibilities for pressure and falsification inherent in such polls are well-known. The publication of the results constitute a pressure on public opinion. Doubtlessly this was the purpose of this poll.
On 26.6 "Yediot Ahronot" reported gleefully:
"An absolute majority of the Israeli citizens justicies the policy of the military authorities of blowing up the homes a£
Arab terrorists (81%)".
The paper adds that 7.2% (even in such a poll under stress!) "absolutely oppose the blowing-up of houses as a means of punishment and determent".
SOME CHAFF FROM THE MIKUNIS-SNEH HARVEST
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This is a little anthology of what was published during the months of June and July in the Mikunis-Sneh group sheet "Kol-Ha'am". All the articles and reports are translated as literally as possible. No comments are necessary. It has to be remembered, though, that whenever "Kol Ha'am" says
C.P. of Israel, this refers to the Mikunis-Sneh Group and when it says "Rakach", this refers to the Communist Party of Israel.
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"Kol Ha'am" - 10.6.69.: M. Sneh on T.V.
From our correspondent - In the TV programme "A look at the news" on Sunday evening an interview was broadcast with the chairman of .the central committee of the CP of Israel regard-ing the anti-Israeli resolution in Moscow. To the question what are the motives for the resolution, M. Sneh replied:
The Soviet leadership is making eve·ry effort at the Meeting in Moscow in order to rally a maximum of Communist parties round the Soviet Union towards the confrontation with China. The Arab parties are angry with Moscow and are under an increasing Chinese influence because of the Soviet-American rapprochement .in.-the- talks··01:i-tbe Middle East, which them-selves, too, originate in the tendency towards a collision with China. In order to conciliate the Arab parties and to receive their support for the Soviet Union against China, the anti-Israeli resolution was proffered them as a pray.
Regarding the delegation of Rakach - M. Sneh replied: "it obediently fulfilled the task imposed on it by the hosts and made_ a shameful and humiliating step by lending a hand to the resolution which contains no truth, no justice and no service to peace".
On Monday evening M. Sneh was interviewed in the Israeli army radio broadcasting station about the Moscow Meeting.
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"Kol Ha'am" - 13.6.69.: Plaster will not help(Editorial)
For a week a meeting of a number of Communist and workers parties has convened in Moscow. In the Moscow consultations serious differences of opinion appeared in all questions debated (and these in fact deviate from the ratified agenda). Thus, for instance, Walter Ulbricht demanded in his speech to
put up "one single centre" for the Communist movement and to impose "discipline"on all the Communist parties. Despite the requests of N. Ceaucescu, the Secretary General of the Romanian Communist Party, W. Ulbricht attacked the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
Against the assumptions of L. Brezhnev and W. Ulbricht appeared E. Berlinguer, Deputy Secretary General of the Italian Communist Par�y. He said that the efforts to create a monolithic Communist movement and a homogenous centre" "were not only a mistake but also a utopia". Re rejected the demand of G. Russak, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia not to debate the problems of his, country and stressed that this question "arouses problems of principle that belong to the whole Communtst movement and not only to the countries which were connected with the invasion".
Here we will remark that Russak who tried to describe the invasion as an internal affair of the socialist countries which must not be touched by the Communist parties, found it correct to attack Dubcek, Smrkovsky and other comrades from the
rostrum of the Meeting and to reveal all the matters of internal relationships in the institutions of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. There is no doubt that Russak did not express the opinion of the Czechoslovak Communists, of the Czech and Slovak peoples, not their wishes nor their thought and hope did he expres but he was the agent of his hosts.
As against the anti-Chinese campaign on the part of some of the leading personalities of the Meeting, despite the organizers' explicit promise that no party not participating in the Meet-ing would be attacked, the Italian representative declared that People's China is necessary for the struggle against imperialism. One has to fight against erroneous currents in Chinese Communism and to criticize them, but we have to find
a positive way of treating the Chinese problem and of renewing t:he dialogue with Peking. E. Berlinguer criticized the Soviet Qropaganda which puts China and the USA on a par.
Among the importantappearances in the Meeting one has to count the speech of L. Aarons, the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Australia who demanded to condemn antisemitism and toin elude this condemnation in the main document of the Meeting.
The leader of t:he Australian Communists was the first one to i::ejec::t the.doctrine of limited sovereignty and to condemn
the invasion of Czechoslovakia� This was the courageous voice cf the Australian Communists.
From &11 said here it bacomes clear that there exist two main trends in the Moscow Meeting� Opinions are divided with regard to the independence of the parties, equality among them, the position .::oncerning the relations between China and the Soviet Union and the establishment of a "single centre111 which will sharpen the split in the Communist movement and also concerning the main decument which was prepared during an entire year�
These are differences of opinion on principles and it is impossible to strangle them, to overcome them by means of verbal plaster, which according to its very nature lasts only for a short time.
Thus the debates in Moscow have proved that there cannot exist any .true international Communist unity as long as in fact great-power hegemonism is in existence and no conditions are created which ensure equality and independence of all the Communist parties. But it is encouraging that so many Connnunist parties in the Moscow Meeting have raised the demand to create such conditions and in such a manner to open the road for a clarification of the urgent problems of the Cormnunist movement and the workers' movement, and not to silence them, and_thus--diey act-ect-for a true unity of the Communist and all progressive for�es in the world.
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"Kol-Ha'am" 15.6.69.: S. Mikunis in a meeting in Tel-Aviv: "They that sow pampering shall reap toughness"
"The perseverance of the Soviet organs of information and propaganda in arbitrarily interpreting the Security Council Resolution of 22.11.67., as if its main point were Israel's withdrawal to the lines of June 4, 1967; the ceaseless stream of all categories of weapons to Egypt and of guiding and training forces from the Soviet Union for all branches of the Egyptian army; the perseverance in crowning Egypt and the entire anti-Israeli front of the Arab countries with the crown of anti-imperialism, progress and justice - all this one-sided, artificial and unjustified pampering from the side of the Soviet Union has produced the Egyptian toughness towards the Soviet Union and its not complying with the needs of the Soviet Union for a certain "softening" of its positions
on the occasion of the talks of the great powers, the 4 and the 2, as is understood from the echoes of the negotiations held these days between GrO!!lyko and Nasser and his ministers" -
said comrade S. Mikunis on the evening of Thursday, June 11, in a public meeting on the subject "Old and ne" in the battles of Israel11•
"The purposeful and tendenticns blurring of the chaci:acter of the Israeli-Arab conflict" - continued comrade S. Mikunis - constituted and confinues constituting a serious obstacle on the way to a just and peaceful solution of this conflict. Its presentation as a conflict between reaction and progress, between imperialism and anti-imperialism, the globalization
of the conflict in its entirety in the interests of great-powerism, has only fed the spirit of war, the adventurist
·refusal to reconcile oneself with the existence and the right to existence of Israel. The task of all peace lovers - and the more so of those who fight for the liberation of our region from imperialism, is to reveal tirelessly the simple and important truth that this is· a national conflict, a con-flict between the Stafe of Israel and the neighbouring Arab states against the background of the conflict bet-�een the people of Israel and the Palestinian Arab people, and that this conflict may be solved peacefully on the basis of mutual acknowledgement of the just national rights of both sides.
Today the Resolution of the Security Council provides a proper solution of the problem. One has to avoid arbitrary interpreta-tions regarding it ana·ananasto understand correctly that its central point is the establishment of just and stable peace in
the Middle East".
In the continuation of his speech, the speaker mentioned the contradictionism in the processes of Soviet policy, which recently was expressed in a restrained and restraining article in "Pravda" regarding the Israeli-Arab conflict and as against this - the anti-Israeli resolution in the "traditional" wild formulation which was adopted, also with the aid of the delegation of Rakach(the C.P. of Israel -transl.) in the Meeting of the Communist parties in Moscow. We have no doubt
·that if the CP of Israel(the Mikunis-Sneh group -transl.) had not been banished from this Communist Meeting, if one had listened to our protests against our not being invited to the Preparafory Meeting in Budapest as well as to the Moscow Meeting, things would have looked different regarding the present Israeli-Arab conflict. But this did not depend on us, but on.the Soviet Communist Party's not being-prepared to con-
front our patriotic and internationalist positions regarding the problem of the six-day war and the solution necessary for the Israeli-Arab conflicc. In the given situation we have to maste.r the lesson from the old and the new in -che battles of Israel, because whatever the sight of the two circles - the Arab circle and the international circle - around our problem,
�-1hat will very much decide the fate of our ccuntrv 2 is the just and clear position on the auestion of the confl;ct and the combination of defensive readiness with a policy of peace in;tiative.
Absolutely rejecting, in this context, the annexationist targets of the "Movement for a complete Land of Israel", which unavoidably lead to a new war, criticizing the inconsistency and the contradictionism in the appearances of
those ministers in the Government, who in general prefer peace to territory, comrade Mikunis showed and explained the programme for peace of the CP of Israel for the neighbouring states as well as for the Palestinian Arab people, a programme that can be� common denominator for all who aspire to a just peace between us and the Arabs.
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Except the Jews? ...
By Pinhas Tubin (Kol-Ha'am", 1.7.69).
"Shame on whoever sows enmity towards the Jews".
"War against any nationalism, and first and foremost against the great-Russian nationalism". LENIN
They say mood has become outmoded for humans. Possibly the sta-lk in the field has moods. When it feels bad, it's bending down... When its mo9d gets better, it raises its head. Not only a stalk, but even a dog, being in a bad mood, draws his tail between his legs. But a human being must not be moody. He has to be starched and stiff in society.
Lately my friends and foes have attacked me, saying: You aren't in a good mood. I must admit that I am worthy of this criticism. Daily I am gnawed at by the shame that I belong to
this people, to the Jewish people, to the people of Israel. Why? Because there is no defect in the world which this people is not stricken with. And the greatest defect of this people is its very existence. I am almost sure that if a miracle
occurred and this last defect could be reyaired, the Jewish people would be forgiven all its other defects. And daily the ,iefects of the Jewish people are listed, by the entire
1€ft in the entire world, both the new and the old left. No wonder that all this does not leave me in a good
mood.
My mood became especially _bad, when I read in the organs of the old left articles of assessment on the occasion of the second anniversary of the six-day war. For example the organ of all organs of the old left writes thus: Israel attacked Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq; Israel perpetually organizes bloody provocations in the Suez Canal zone, in the River Jordan area and in the Golan Heights; Israel directed the point of the war against Algeria, Egypt, Iraq and Syria with the purpose of overthrowing there the progressive regimes, and it is also possible that it was Israel that put up Franco in Spain. By the way, I was suddenly made aware that_Israel borders Algeria. Certainly Iraq. Israel is the only one that does not want peace, as against her "Egypt, Jordan and other Arab countries are ready to carry out the Security Council Resolution of November 1967". Which are the other Arab countries? It becomes clear that they are: Syria, Iraq and Algeria. All the Arab countries let the dove of peace fly towards Israel. God bewareme--from thinking that this dove of peace is like the Trojan Horse from which suddenly hostile forces emeged. God beware m� from thinking that the dove looks like that horse. Because the dove of peace is sent to us from progressive countries. In addition, it is carried on the wings of both the old and the new left. Here we see how everybody
wants peace and only the people of Israel refuses to receive it.
And I, unfortunately1belong �o this people. Therefore my mood has become bad.
Only recently has my mood become somewhat better. How come?
At the last meeting in Moscow the slogan "Workers of all countries, unite!" limped a little.But at the end or the middle of the meeting the people of Israel became a unifying factor in the meeting. It united the workers of all countries. All µnited as one man to reprimand Israel. Now I have realized that the people of Israel is not all negative. It also possesses a posit_ive aspect, a unifying aspect. My mood became much better when I saw with my mind's eye how my people did actually save the honour of the meeting: At last the workers of all the countries did unite. Here we see clearly that the people of
Israel does sometimes fulfil a positive task, too.
And so as to enable my mood to become yet better, I will conclude with Lenin's words: "We march as a narrow and closed circle, holding one another's hand, we march up a steep and hard path. We are surrounded on all sides by enemies. Nearly always we have to march under fire..."
We wish to exist. Peace will surely come. For this is the common interest of the people of Israel and the Arab peoples. The correct assumption of "peaceful co-existence" is not and cannot be "except for Jews"... This loathsome slogan belonged to the ancien regime. God beware the world from inheriting it.
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"Kol-Ha'am" - 6.7.69.: Rumours were just spread that some change was possible, and already L'Humanite" appeared against the. abolition of the embargo.
Paris (Kol-Ha1am service) - Rumours, which meantime are not confirmed in reality, were spread regarding some possibility that there would be a change in French policy ,in the question
of embargo on arms shipments to Israel, and already "L'Humanite", the organ of the French Communist Party warned that "the
·abolition of the embargo by French Government will considerably aggravate the situation". Under a headline of 5 columns the Communist paper (in--its'JO June-issue) appears with this "warn-ing", and relying on Egyptian smfrces whose opinions it transmits without any reservation, it attacks the "declarations of Chaban-Delmas which were received sympathetically in Tel= Aviv".
"L'Humanite" joins the apprehensions of the /?olitical circles in the Egyptian capital that "the 50 "Mirage planes that were frozen after the six..:day war will be supplied in the near future to Israel by France", and continues that "such a decision in the climate of tension now prevailing in the Arab world will not be, in the opinion of observers, without grave consequences affecting the situation in the Middle East. It has to pointed out that the abolition of the embargo will aggravate the lack of balance between the forces in favour of Israel and will hasten the armament race..." and all that at a time when the Soviet Union ships abundant quantities of arms to the Arab countries (but this is of course not mentioned now by "L'Humanite"!)
George Marchais: Our task is to struggle against the Israeli
"aggression" and "provocations".. �.
The Central Committee of the French Communist Party ratified (in its session on June 28) the documents of the_Moscow
Meeting and the activity of the FCP delegation in that meeting.
In the report to the Central CoIDEittee George Marchais, mem-ber of the Political Bureau, who headed his party's delegation, (after Waldeck-Rocher fell ill) reiterated the anti-Israeli imprecations, accusing Israel again as the source of all evil, of "aggressiveness", "provocation" and criminal assault to which "the Arab peoples fell victims".
In the chapter called "Our Tasks" ("L'Humanite" - 30.6.) George Marchais says: "The danger's inherent,in the situation in the Middle East are not to be belittled".
"In this part of the world the reactionary leaders of Israel continue their aggresive and expansionist policy against the Arab peoples. They are encouraged and supported by imperia-lism which considers this policy a means for regaining its domination over the entire region. The provocative actions which are not only opposed to the legitimate interests of the Arab peoples, but also to the interests of the people of Israel itself, are liable to lead to an international conflict.
"This is why we have to continue our activity of solidarity with the Arab peoples, the victims of aggression, to demand the withdrawal of the Israel forces from the occupied terri-tories and to impose a peaceful settlement on the basis of the right to existence of all the states living in this region (it has to be pointed out that what Marchais declares upon his return to Paris, he did not say in Moscow and he even signed
the anti-Israeli document which ignores this right and does not mencion it at all - "Kol-Ha'am" Service)'and the respect of the national rights of the Palestinian Arabs. This is what is demanded by the Security Council Resolution of November 1967.
We have to demand its full implementation".
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"Kol-Ha'am" - 11.7.69.
Y.L. (the initials used by Yehuda Lahav -transl.) writes under the heading "Limitation of annexation":
It is self-evident chat Rakach (the Communist Party of Israel-transl.) ident:ifies itself without reservation with the Security Council Resolution concerning Je.rusa.lem, without consideTing the background, the �elation of forces in the Council and the circumstances under which the resolution was adopted. For them it is clear that "the Israeli occupation forces have to withdraw from Arab Jerusalem just as from all territories occupied in the June War'1, as "one cannot reconcile himself with the a12auisition of territory by military
force". The opinion of Rakach has no weight at all, for if the Soviet Union will agree to the unification of Jerusalem (and there is no lack of hints in this direction), Rakach too
will join this position with the enthusiasm of blind followers.
But as the matter concerned is Jerusalem, perhaps the wise men from Rakach will explain to us: How did Jordan "acquire" the territory of East Jerusalem, was it not by way of military conquest and annexation? 20 years ago the CP of Israel demanded the abolition of the annexation of parts of Palestine by the invading Arab states. Meantime 20 years have passed and possibly Rakach thinks that a limitation applies to
'annexation. But if this is the theory, the Israeli Government might adopt it and wait 20 years till the annexation comes under limitation and becomes decent.
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"Kol-Ha'am" 14.7.69
B.B. (the initials used by Berl Balti) writes as follows under the headline "Blood is shed again on the Amur":
Peking as well as Moscow reported grave incidents on the Amur River.. According to the Soviet version, Chinese units attacked the Goldinsky Island (the Chinese call it the Fasha Island).
According to the Chinese version it was Soviet units which invaded Chinese soil. It is doubtful if we shall ever know what exactly happened on the Amur on July 8, 1969. But what is beyond any doubt, is the fact that a further aggravation has occurred in the relations between the two socialist powers.
The appeal was not heeded
We cannot ignore the fact that this aggravation has taken place after the Moscow Meeting. The appeal of a number of Connnunist parties - the Romanian, Italian, Spanish and other parties -
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to the Governments of the Soviet Union and People's China to avoid the aggravation of the situation remained unheeded.
The Meeting refused, as is known, to condemn China and the Chinese Communist Party. Thus perhaps a still graver sharpen-ing of the Soviet-Chinese relations was prevented, but not the battles on the Amur.
After the ooenin_g QJ' the talks
The second fact is that the mini-war took place after the mixed Soviet-Chinese commission in Khabarovsk started debating the exact demarcation line between the two countries. The fast alone of the talks in Khabarovsk did not bring about any rela..xatioh in the relations between the Soviet Union and People's China.
Does this mean that the sliding down into war between the two socia�ist powers is unavoidable? We do not think that such a fatalist attitude fits the situation. It is indeed possible that the meeting at the level of junior officials in Khabarovsk constitutes no reply to the Soviet-Chinese relations, but there is no reason why no meeting at a higher level might be convened, and such a meeting might adopt decisions decisive for the improvement of the relationa between the two states.
Mediation certa��ssible
The fact that the Soviet Union did not obtain the automatic support of all the socialist countries and of all the Communist parties enables many of them to fulfil the role of mediator and arbitrator. It is of -course possible to assume au attitude of anger and even to impose a ban upon the parties which refuse to take up a position of support for this side or the other in the armed conflict, but ultimately the revolutionary workers' movement will be grateful to those parties and governments whicn attempt to do everything in order to prevent a war between the two socialist powers.
Imperialism benefits...
Is it necessary to explain that a war between the two socialist powers - the Soviet Union and China - will be and is a severe blow to socialism any where and that the only one to benefit from it is imperialism? In order to know this truth one must not even know the A.B.C. of Marxism-Leninism. It is enough to possess common sense.
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The principal cause - the hegemonist policy
It has to be asked: How did things roll down to this slope? We think that the hegemonist policy, of People's China as well as of the Soviet Union is the cause that the nightmare of a war between socialist states is possible and even topical. We think that it is the duty of the real Communists not to support this side or the other in the conflict but to call for the relaxation of the tension, for an agreement between the sides and for the prevention of war, as has been done by a number of Communist parties.
The failure which the situation between the Soviet Union and China signifies, is not the failure of Communism, of the Communist theory, but of the present leaderships of these two states, which brought about the spilling of the blood of Soviet and Chinese workers and peasants in a fratricidal war on the river Amur.
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"Kol-Ha'am" - 21.7.69. reports The appearance of Mikunis in the Knesset:
"First of all I wish to deny any notion and thought of the existence of physical danger to the Jewry of the Soviet Union.
1 wish also to point out at the beginning of my words that in the Soviet Union no official antisemitism, exists even though in these or other circles of Soviet society antisemitism is still in existence.
,,without ignoring the dangers to Jews in general, stemming from the rising tide of nazism in Germany, from the rising tide of racism and antisemitism in a number of other countries, still these and other apprehensions arise regarding the situation of the Jews of the Soviet Union."
Proposed resolution for the conclusion of the debate on the situation of the Jews of the Soviet Union, put forward by memb.er of Knesset S. Mikunis
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The Knesset condemns any display of racism and anti-semitism in any place, in the west as in the east.
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The Knesset rejects resolutely"the fictitions accusations and libels thrown at Jews in other countries, in the west and
and in the east alike, because of the "sin" of their natural adhesion to the State of Israel.
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The Knesset demands of the Government of the Soviet Union· the recognition of the right of the Jewish citizen who whishes so, to leave the territory of the Soviet Union in order to emigrate to the historical homeland of the Jewish people, which is the State of Israel.
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The Knesset demands of the Government of the Soviet Union the recognition of the right of the Jewish citizens who wish so, to develop with the assistance of the state their national culture and language, and also permanently to maintain cultural and friendly relations with democratic Jewish institutions abroad.
�NIVERSIT'i'LIBRARJ
HX 632 Al wo�
no.1540
the 2 0th
Worl.d
communism in
century.
0172047A MAI