The Times,
.O.Box 7,
oo Gray's Inn,
London WCIX SEZ
Dear Sir,
I would be grateful to you if you could publish the following letter:
Hypocrisy Celebrates
Two wars have taken place at the same time. The collision: Israel vs. Syria and the P.L.O. on the one hand, and England vs. Argentina, on the other. The reason for the battle in the Falkland Islands is a question of principle and the "robbing" of property by the Argentineans—a very distinguished and honourable reason. The reason for the war in Lebanon is international terrorism, the murdering, raping, and robbing of Christian inhabitants in Lebanon (to which England paid so much attention in the last seven years, doing nothing), and the killing and terrorizing of Israelis in the North Galilee and the world. I believe that if Israel had no right to fight in Lebanon, England, most certainly, had no right to fight in the Falkland Islands and deny Israel's right of self-defense.
A wise man once said, "Those who do not remember the past are bound to repeat it". The crisis in "Men shall do what is right in his eyes," or in Plato's words, "Man is the measure." The "Palestinians" defeated in Jordan in September 1970, undertook the introduction of anarchy to Lebanon.
It is not the first time that Israel has operated in South Lebanon to save the lives of its civilians in the North of Israel, as well as the lives of its Christian neighbours on the other side of the border. As in the past, so at present, I.D.F. soldiers are greeted by Christians and Muslims alike, with open arms, as saviours from barbarians who call themselves "liberators". (Looking at the picture on the front page of the Herald Tribune of Monday, June 7th, 1982, is sufficient to understand the mentality of these creatures).
After the "Litany Operation", the US government initiated a cease-fire agreement, forcing Israel to abide by it. At that stage, the Israel Defence Forces needed two more days to destroy the so-called PLO. Yet, for some reason, someone in Washington insisted that what America's president believes to be a terrorist organization (Candidate Reagan – "Unlike President Carter, I have no hesitation in holding the PLO as a terrorist organization". President-elect Reagan, " I think that the PLO has proven that it is a terrorist organization,") has a right to survive and operate.
There were, so it seems, two interpretations of the Cease–Fire agreement reached under the auspices of US Diplomacy. We, in Israel, believed it to be a cease-fire on all fronts. The PLO – and, ridiculously enough, some voices in America as well – suggested that the cease-fire agreement applies only to operations from or in Southern Lebanon. Whilst murdering women and children in midtowns, terrorizing Jews around the world, attempts to kill and destroy are permissible, the PLO can relax as its headquarters are under the protection of the "cease-fire agreement". Israel cannot accept such a hypocritical interpretation.
Moreover, whilst Israel respected its obligations in accordance with the cease-fire agreement, Syria brought rockets into South Lebanon, contrary to the status quo and the cease-fire agreement; the PLO managed to double and triple their deployment of heavy artillery and rockets. Israel could not respond. The United States demanded that a formula for solving these problems be found by an American mediator. Mr. Philip Habib paid several visits to the capitals involved. However, American diplomacy failed. Syria's missiles are in South Lebanon, and the PLO got stronger and stronger; failing to force Syria and the PLO to respect their obligation did not prevent Mr. Habib from paying another visit to Jerusalem before the present collision. The diplomat introduced a letter from his president addressed to Prime Minister Begin. President Reagan demanded that Israel introduce evidence of its peaceful intentions. The missiles are in Lebanon, and the PLO is arming itself up to its teeth, yet Israel is to bring evidence.
I recall the missile crisis in 1970 between Israel and Egypt. Then, too, America denied Israel's right to respond to Egypt's actions and demanded tolerance. The US Congressional records of October 18, 1970, prophesied the consequences of Egypt's action and Israel's tolerance.
If the present uneasy cease-fire deteriorates and hostilities resume, the Israeli air force would pay a high price in lives and aircraft, in attempting to destroy the SAM defence system".
Israel remembers the costly and painful past. Israel is not bound to repeat it.
Last but not least, let every individual around the world answer this question: how much does he suffer from the PLO? Every country around the world is endangered and threatened. Security in airports is only one consequence of the PLO's role in international terrorism. Cars blowing up in the centre of towns in another. Civil wars in South America are a third.
All terrorist groups around the world find their roots and support in PLO camps in Libya and Lebanon. The Japanese Red Army, the Italian Red Brigade, the German Badar–Mianhoff, the IRA in Ireland and England, the Communists in South America, etc., etc., etc., even the Arab world fears the PLO. Many Arab rulers are only too happy to see the PLO busy with Israel and not with their "brothers".
Israel does not want to harm whoever calls himself a "Palestinian". Israel desires to bring about the destruction of the PLO. When Israel succeeds, the whole world will be relieved. PLO guns and bombs killed men, women, and children in the Galilee. PLO "soldiers" put bombs around marketplaces and killed innocent people all over the world just because they were Jews. In such a case, immunity is waived. We will play the game our way, not theirs. Nobody can seriously believe that the PLO's actions will go unanswered. This is our answer: FORCE.
Samuel Johnson once said, "Knowledge is of two kinds, we know a subject ourselves or we know where to get information about it". England's policymakers know none.
England's one-sided policy has long since brought that kingdom to its knees. When ITV introduced "Death to a Princess", it was the English Foreign Minister who rushed to Riyadh to apologize for the fact that someone in England practices the freedom of speech. While we are discussing freedom of speech, I "adore" British news media; when broadcasting from Israel, they complained of censorship. However, whilst broadcasting from the Falkland Islands, they phrase it, "Certain news has to be withheld for military reasons".
In October 1938, John Masaryk, the Czechoslovakian Ambassador to London, told Dr. Weizman the following: "But don't think, Dr. Weizman, that we are the only victims. The British have built a three-story house. On the first floor, they put Haile Selassie, the second floor has now been allocated to us, but the third floor is reserved for you.".
We remember. We are not bound to repeat it.
England had a very "successful" foreign policy during the last few decades. That is why the sun did not set over the British Empire. England did decolonize its Empire, but not voluntarily, as Mr. Pyn suggested. What is happening in Northern Ireland is just a repetition of history. The usual "procedure" for England's decolonization. What England does not remember, England is bound to repeat it.
We are determined to bring about the downfall of the PLO. To fight terrorism with all our might. That is why we went to Antebbe yesterday. That is why we are in Lebanon today. It will bring about the safety of Israelis and the safety of those who condemned Israel for its present action. When the PLO is gone, men will walk around Paris and London with the fear of being terrorized. Those who buy petroleum and those who sell it will take off their hats and say, "Thank you, Israel.
Zalli Jaffe
