The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1948-07-22
Comment On World Events

1t is clearly the desire of the
Soviet Union to fill the vacuum
created by the final removal OF
direct British control over Pales-
tine, writes Martin Ebon in an ar
ticle, entitled Communist Tactics
in Palestine" published in The
Middle East Journal Ebon is the
author Of "World Communism To
day." which was acclaimed on its
publication early in 1948 by Arthur
M. Schlesinger, Jr., in the New
York Times, as the outstanding
work on communist penetration and
strategy.
Ebon's carefully documented ar
ticle is objective and non-partlsan.
1t would be impossible to unders-
tand the true forces at work today
in Palestine without knowing the
facts, said to have been never be-
fore presented to the American
public, that he has collected.
Partition was long opposed by
the Kremlin, which attacked Zion
ism as representing "the exploit
ing, big power, imperialist, oppres-
sive strivings of the Hebrew bour-
geoisie." The Communist Party of
Palestine was instructed to appoint
an Arab majority to its Central
Committee. Only in May, 1947 did
the Soviet Union advocate parti-
ton, and then labeled it as a second
choice, paying tribute to the desir-
ability of a single state in Pales-
tine.
After tracing the history, leaders
and potential power of the Com
munist movement in Palestine,
Ebon addresses himself to the un-
der-the-surface forces that may
shape the future of this part of
the world:
"If the state of Israel, bolstered
by the United States and Soviet
recognition and the moral support
of the United Nations, can with
stand Arab pressure and continue
its existence, it is likely to become
an important factor in Middle East
Power politics. The leaders and
people of Israel will have to choose
to ally themselves with either the
West or the East. Growing COM
munist propaganda will urge an
alliance with the anti-imperialist,
democratic forces - the party's
euphemism for the Soviet Union,
its satellites, and theological
friends.
son the other hand, most Zionist
statesmen, from DR.. Weizmann
down, favor Western democracy
Their own community government
is run along parliamentary lines.
Israel's financial, moral and mill
tary support has in the past large
ly come from the United States
The young state will continue to
require substantial aid, most OF II
from its friends and well-wishers
in America.
Because of the historical deYel-
opment of Israel, and because of
the varied background of the popu-
lation, the Zionists are likely to de-
sire neutral position between the
great powers. The israeli Govern
ment may attempt to become anoth-
er bridge between the East and
West, such as Czechoslovakia hop
ed to be during the immediate post
war period. But the Czechoslovak
example illustrates that communist
Peoples Front tactics do not per-
nit a small nation to built such a
diplomatic bridge.
"Soviet policy in Palestine has
so far met with considerable sue
cess, despite the continued weak
ness of the communist movement.
Russian and U. S. support of parti-
ton succeeded in expelling Great
Britain from Palestine with out en-
hancement of British prestige in
the Arab world. The way has been
prepared for Soviet utilization of
the Zionist movement, but at the
same time the U. S. S. R. has been
careful not to shut the door to a
rapprochement with the Arabs. The
expulsion of the British is vic
tory to the Arabs taste, and the
Soviet has made it clear that it
regards partition as a poor second