Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-02
Middle Cost Strife


at Miss Dorothy Thompson's
ability TO find nothing wrong
with the Arab world. nothing
right with Israel, and per-
manently to blame American
friendship for Israel for
whatever goes wrong in the
Middle East. 1t may be easy
but surely it Is completely
wrong to see everything in
such absolute shades of black
and white. / visited Israel.
Lebanon and Jordan last
September as part of my
study mission to Europe and
the Middle East, and had ex-
tended talks with government
officials as well as our dip
lomatS In these countries.
From my observations, / have
no hesitation. therefore, in
saying that Miss Thompson's
approach as well as her facts
are incorrect.
As the basis for many of
her recent allegations, Miss
Thompson. in her columns
in recent weeks, has referred
to news stories which had
already been denied or shown
to be untrue even before she
wrote her columns. She COM
planned. for instance, that
the appointment of Leonard
Hall. the former Republican
National Chairman, to act as
President Eisenhower's ON
cial representative to Israel's
10th anniversary celebrations
would be a political move
which might help Mr.. Hall
but would damage American
prestige. Possibly so. but the
fact is that the reported APP
pointment was denied by Mr..
Hall. for whom / have the
highest personal regard. sew
eral days before Miss T'homp-
son based a theory on it.
Other alleged facts" used
by Miss Thompson in recent
weeks. even after they were
denied, or statements which
are obviously incorrect, have
included claims that Arab
Communists throughout the
Arab countries are pro
Israel" this Is as ludicrous
a charge as has ever been
made: that Israel has sought
TO obtain nuclear weapons:
and that arms supplied by
the United States were used
in the Sinai campaign last
year. On this point. Miss
Thompson has entirely over
looked the fact that for two
years Israel tried to purchase
arms in the United States
but was not permitted TO do
so.
Is 1t not time that Miss
Thompson stopped mislead-
ing the public with her pro-
Arab propaganda and instead
checked the facts before
rushing into print. usually
in support Of President Mas
ser? She continues to praise
him as she did in the fore
word that she wrote to his
autobiography and refuses to
recognize the threat to the
West and TO our security in
Nasser's pro-Soviet and anti
Western policies.
Victor L. AnfusO.
Representative From New
York.
With regard to Mr.. An
fuso's accusation. II is he,
I am afraid. who is indif-
ferent to facts.
/ have never written that
nothing Is wrong with the
Arab world or right with
Israel. Much is wrong with
the Arab world due partly to
= past history, partly to lack
OF leadership. partly. and
notably in Egypt, to the
pressure Of population on
wholly inadequate resources.
partly to endemic disease.
partly to lack Of capital. and
partly TO long-established
feudalisms.
None of these wrongs"
current or inherited, are to
be found in Israel. For Its
size and youth 1t is the most
highly capitalized country in
the Middle East and per-
petually subsidized. It's peo-
pie are industrious, enthu-
siastic and healthy. What
is wrong with 1t is that II
has appropriated and dispos-
sessed the native population
and thereby won the enmity
of all It's neighbors, which II
reciprocates: that 1t demands
that every person and gov
eminent share its anti
Arabism, and that by the
very nature Of Its Zionist
faith. II is expansionist. II
Mr.. Anfuso wants evidence
from Zionist sources to sup
port this. IL is available.
The appointment Of Leon
ard Hall was announced
from Washington. I suspect