Fridoy, June 2], 1974—THE BULLETIN—11
TOUR ARAB CAPITALS
PLO.
(Gontinued from Page 10)
bctly across the street from the pleaming Kuwaiti Embassy and in lie impressive row of international banking concerns in this jebanese capital. Despite the presence of armed lembers of the PLO in the head-luarters, the conversation with the pLO leaders was relaxed and freewheeling. At 12:30 p.m. the jour-ilists ended their meeting at the I'LO and returned to the hotel.
In the afternoon the delegates |eard a speech by Dr. Charles falik, former president of the General Assembly and member the Parliament as head of the [rogressive Socialist, Party, who lid that the conference was held > a '*m6st propitious moment in {le history of the Mideast when ace between the tm> peoples -ew dnd Arab - and the three Uths Judaism, Christianity and (lam - might be closer than at
previous point." I He called for "setting our sights toward that day of peace." [ALONG WITH Prime Minister deddine Solh, Malik and other |gh Lebanese officials praised disengagement agreement be-Ireen Israel and Syria which 3tian President Anwar Sadat lis also termed a "miracle.^' ROBERTA. COHN
'^The trip has become '~^frt^^gm to ke home"^
FROM JERUSALEM, U^^^ REPORT REVIEWS VISIT
ria of
Arabian night dreams^^
It's fun to learri to swim the led Cross Water. Safety way. Vhen you swim, swim with a >Qddyi never alone.
AMMAN, JORDAN, June 5 -
"Jordan is willing to relinquish its responsibilities over the West Bank, but the ultimate decision must be left to the Palestinians scattered throughout the Arab States," said the Prime Minister of Jordan , as he addressed the First Editorial Conference on the Middle-East.
We arrivQd in Jordan after a, grueling day which started (would "you believe it?) in Damascus, Syria, where we visited a Palestinian refugee camp in Douma, with more thain 100,000occupants..
In a 75-foot adobe hut jammed with fierce-eyed Arabs in native, headdress, we sat In ramshackle chairs and were addressed by the ex-Mayor of Kuneitra (where this particular group of Arabs had originated), who repeated the by-nowfaniiliar story of his people's displacement and their intense desire to return home. ! We were shown a school book to "prove" that propaganda was not being taught to the many child: ren in the camp.
As we left, we were deluged with. Arab cries from the mob, translated by our affable guide as "we want to go home."
THE CAMP conditions wereun- ^ speakable, with oppressive heat, flies, and dirt abounding.
A press briefing with Syria's Prime Minister followed, at which the American TV correspondent. Dean Breilis, was present. The faimiliary litany of hate was repeated, including: "Jewish tefror-
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ism breeds Arab guerrilla attacks."
Syria's hard-line venom against Israel seemed personally discouraging to me for future peace prospects. However,, some members of the Editorial Conference told, me they were; actually encouraged at some of the signs.
Despite the scary feelings and frightening atmosphere (especially to those of us who are Jewish) which we experienced in Damascus, the welcome we received was lavish. Formal invitations to fantastic meals of many courses were plentiful, and each journalist even received a beautiful inlaid mosaic box as a gift from the Syrian Government.
The 6,00(h-year-old streets of Damiascus are filled with police and soldiers, many in camouflage uniforms. The power of the press appears all-pervading. However,. and pictures were permitted for us everywhere, except at military, installations. '1
'Throughout our stay in Syria, we were given two police escorts for our non-air conditioned buses.
. To backtrack a bit, Beirut Lebanon, is the most cosmopolitan city we've seen so far. It is a combination of French, Arabic and European cultures. The city has beautiful buildings, estates, and the Mediterranean Sea for a romantic border.
Those of us who are Jewish attended Sabbath morning services at the Mogan Avraham Synagogue in downtown Beirut, where Bill Pages of the Newark Jewish News had an ALIYAH, and opened the Ark and carried out the forah to be read.
WE WOMEN sat in the balcony of the shul, where we attempted communication in French with about 25 worshippers. At the urgent request of one Lebanese Jewish woman, I did not wear my Editoriaf Conference name badge with "Anne Shapiro, K.C. Jewish Chronicle" when I subsequently visited Syria..
.Beirut is like a movie set for a film of intrigue. The city is headquarters for a group with the title "Americans for Justice in the. Middle-East" The AJME is endorsed by one member of our group, Norton Mezvinsky, who is a former national officer of the. American Council for Judaism. The AJME actively supports and supplies the Palestine Liberation Organization.
While some of the more daring members of our group visited a PLO camp and met with Palestinian terrorists, I attended an AJME meeting. I interviewed one of the officers - an ex-Kansas Citian.
Our stay in Beirut included an interview with Lebanon's Prime. Minister, whoalsd repeated a familiar line.
A visit to the fabulous Cafe Du Liban was a high spot of the Beirut stay.
The trip has become a phantasmagoria of Arabian night dreams. Our welcomes have been cordial in the Arab countries. We met with hig^ government officials, . have attempted to talk with, "The man in the street," and have received an overview of the situation in the Middle-East.
THE PACE has been back-breaking, with 12, 13 and 14-hour days. Even the younger .people are beginning to complain. I am inspired by 83-year-old Ben Gross -of New York City, a retirednews-man, who keeps up with us all.
I can scarcely believe that we have been in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria (whew!), and now Jordan. Next, it is on to Jerusalem - the City of Gold.
ANNE SHAPIRO, Associate Editor, Kansas City Jewish Chronicle
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, June 6-
"It's good to be home again," I said out loud at .the first view of the flag of Israel from the Jordanian side of the Allenby Bridge which marks the end of the Arab side.
The Allenby Bridge, a modest pontoon structure, spans the narrow river Jordan which divides Jordan from the West Bank which-has been under Israeli occupation since the June 1967 Six-Day War.
The West Bank^ along with Gaza, has been the subject-of intense speculation about its possibly be-. coming a Palestinian Arab State, as a result of future disengagement efforts involving Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Arabs.
Our arrival coincided with the seventh anniversary of the Six-Day War and Israel was on full alert against possible terrorist activity to mark the occasion. The night of June 5 passed quietly as far as can be determined.
^dhference participants got a sample of the "Mid-Eastshuttle" brand of reporting experienced i)y the 17 correspondents who accompanied Secretary-of-State Henry Kissinger in his successful disengagement talks between Israel and Syria, which has brought about an apparently successful cease-fire and prisoner-of-war exchange, -y ^
During the trip some apprehension' was expressed over the security of the Jewish correspondents, especially in Beirut, where the various terrorist organizations have free rein and in Damascus, long considered extremely unsafe for Jews to visit.
Our concern proved unfounded so far as security was concerned. Every effort was made on the part of the governments involved to make us feel welcome.
THERE WERE of course, some exceptions to the overall good
impression so far as treatment of Jewish guests and citizens is concerned.
The visit to Ismalia Synagogue in Cairo at the start of the trip on l^avuot brought home the fact that the Jewish community of Egypt which numbered nearly 150,000 in 1948 was now in its death agony, with fewer than 500 Jews in all of Egypt,
The government still keeps a close tab on Jewish activities, although the comm.unity is so small and so aged and infirm that it no longer, poses any potential "fifth column" threat to the regime.
The worship service was an emotional experience for the 40 of us who attended. In front of the synagogue, as we came to worship, a few college-age youths had gathered, curious at the largest gatheringof Diaspora Jews to attend services there in years. The brief service and exchange of greetings went well.
At the end of the service, the warmth of the meeting was marred
(Continued on Page 12) See: JOURNALISTS
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