- ~---------,------------,,---------~----=-~----- ~. ~ - ~ =-=-:JI R. I. Jewish Historical Association 11 130 Sessions Street Providence, RI 02906 Support Read By Jewish More Than Agencies 40,000 With Your People · Membership THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R. I. AND SOUTHEAST MASS. VOLUME LXVIII, NUMBER 41 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1981 30¢ PER COPY Renewed Interest Develo{J.s State Dept. Refutes Claim That Israel Israel's Role In World Arms Market Sold Arms To Iraq TEL AVIV - Renewed interest into Bani-Sadr's assertion, saying only that it as saying that last October Israel sold Iran WASHINGTON (JTA) - The State Israel's role in the world arms market has never discusses its arms sales. $300,000 worth of spare tires for its Department says that it has " no evidence" been spurred by former Iranian leader, Iran, the anti-Zionist, Islamic republican American-built F-4 fighter-bombers. The to support a report that Israel secretly sold Abolhassan Bani-Sadr's statement two regime, would seem to be an unlikely Israelis succumbed, the sources said, to a Iran spare parts and tires for American­ weeks ago that Islamic leaders had decided customer for Israeli arms. However, Bani­ United States request and agreed to halt built F -4 fighter bombers last October to to buy arms from lsi:ael during the Sadr's statement, made in an interview any further sales of military equipment to help Iran in its war against Iraq and at a American hostage crisis. with ACC News, would be conceivable Iran until the hostages were freed . time when American hostages were being Up to last April, Israel was estimated to from Israel's viewpoint, since the former The Soviet Union has claimed - and of­ held by Iran. be earning $500 million to $1.3 billion a year Iranian leader said that the weapons ficials here deny - that Israel is selling 52 According to a report last Thursday night from foreign arms deals. Israel sales are secured from Israel were used in the wa r of its Kfir jet fighters and a fl eet of its on ABC News , former Iranian President believed to account for only 2 percent of the against Iraq that began last September. Merkava (Chariot) tanks to China. Abolhassan Bani-Sadr said in an interview world arms market, but the British The Arab nation of Iraq has participated in Israel also was linked to an Argentine in Paris with ABC that he had been opposed magazine Defense Attache lists Israel as every war against Israel. Iran is non-Arab (Continued on page 14) to any deal with Israel but had been the world's seventh largest arms exporter. and was never involved in Arab-Israeli con­ overruled by religious leaders close to To avoid embarrassment to both Israelis flicts. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. "I was op­ and to their clients, details of the sales of Israel has declined to comment on the Klan Makes Appearance posed . I said : If we have to buy arms from­ arms are kept under the cover of military report issued the week before Bani-Sadr's At Pawt. Supermarket the Israelis, why not make peace with the censorship. Prime Minister Menachem statement, which quotes former Carter Ad­ Iraqis? It would be much better," Bani­ Begin has therefore refused to comment on ministration aides and diplomatic sources PAWTUCKET - About 10 Ku Klux Klan members passed out newspapers in the Sadr said. Former Carter Administration officials parking lot of Star Market on Barton Street and diplomatic sources said over the Friday night, August 28 , and were dis­ weekend that the Israelis yielded to persed by police who mistakenly thought American pressure not to continue their the group needed a city permit to distribute military relationship with Iran un til the material. hostages were freed. A spokesman for the Ci ty Solicitor Maryfrances McGinn said later she had fo und no law prohibiting the Israel Embassy said his country does not provide information on purchases or sale of Klan from passing out its literature. However, McGinn said, permission is weapons. At the time of the alleged sale, the U.S. had imposed an embargo on the needed from the ov:ner , Star Ma rket, sale of all goods to Iran. because the lot is considered private property. Responding to questions from reporters, There were conflicting reports as to State DepartmeQ_t Dean Fischer stated last whether or not the Klan members wore Friday: " We have no evidence that any white robes during the activity. One report U.S.-origin equipment or spare parts sub­ said they had robes but did not don them. ject to our control has been supplied to Iran Police satd the Klansmen began dis­ by the government of Israel. The govern­ tributing the newspapers, which are ment of Israel has been fully informed of published by the Invisible Empire Knights our policy on shipment of 1].S.-origin of the Ku Klux Klan, at about 10: 15 p.m. materials to Iran both in regard to the Pawtucket residents Raymond and Jean­ hostage crisis and the subsequent Iran-Iraq nette Fisher, 50 Booth Ave ., were among hostilities. We have received assurances the participants. Fisher said he and his wife from the government of Israel that no have tried to recruit members but have had military equipmenCo r spare parts subject little success. He said they plan to resign to U.S . control have been shipped to Iran. " from the Klan. Asked whether the U.S. is conducting any Also participating, according to one review of this matter, Fischer said: "I am report, was James Farrands, leader of the not aware of any formal review of this in Klan for Rhode Island, Massachusetts and progress." Connecticut. NAZI SLOGANS and swastikas appear on abutments of Interstate 95 underpass on Taft Avenue, Pawtucket. State workers have had to remove graffiti from the underpass three times before. Photo by David Essex Ambassador To Sy_ria Say~ Arab-Israeli Conflict Will Not Be Resolved Until 'Post Begin Period' DAMASCUS, Syria - Talcott W. Seel­ tions led by President Carter in 1979 should ye, the United States Ambassador to Syria, be replaced with a new initiative. Nearly who will retire from diplomatic service· in all Arab countries have condemned the ac­ October, said that the Arab-Israeli conflict cords and have broken diplomatic ties with can only be resolved in the " post Begin Egypt, Seelye said . period ." He doubts that peace in the Middle President Hafez al-Assado of Syria, said East can be reached as long as Prime the Ambassador, would "definitely be will­ Minister Menachem Begin leads Israel. ing to negotiate a settlement" 'if Israel " It is impossible for Begin to divest agreed· to return captured Arab territory Israel of the West Bank ," Ambassador and if the " Palestinians were given a fair Seelye said in an interview, "and, sec­ shake." The United States should take a ondly, he is totally blind to the Palestinian strong stand against Jewish settlements in problem." · the Israeli occupied West Bank in an effort Ambassador Seelye has recommended to contain tqe Begin government, he said. that the Reagan Administration establish a The essentials for an effective formula dialogue - with the Palestine Liberation for a settlement are Israeli withdrawal A CUP OF ISRAEL SOIL FOR NEWLYWEDS: Mrs. Florence Elster Berkowitz, (shown to from the occupied territories, including the Organization and abandon the Camp David the right), wife of Rabbi WIiiiam Berkowitz, president of the Jewish National Fund, I accords as a basis for a settlement. removal of settlements, and Palestinian holds a cup filled with soil from Israel sent as a wedding gift to Prince Charles and Lady A self-determination," Seelye said. Diana. Mrs. Berkowitz sent the gift as a symbolic and nostalgic gesture of an earlier " If we had a dialogue, it could be deter­ Following his retirement after 32 years, act: In 1947, Mrs. Berkowitz sent to the current Queen, and the then - Princess mined what the basis for a settlement Seelye will become a private consultant on Elizabeth (and Charles' mother) a cup filled with Palestinian soil, on the occasion of would be , what we had in mind and what the Middle East. The Ambassador, who left her marriage to Phllip. At that time, (shown In a picture to the left below) the hope was role the Palestinians would ha ve," Seelye Damascus this week for a month-long Euro­ that the following year would see a Jewish state In Palestine, freed of British rule. Now, said . pean vacation, is to be replaced by Robert more than three decades later, her son, Prince Charles, receives a similar cup for a The Ambassador believes that the Camp P. Paganelli, a diplomat in Rome and for­ wedding present - only this time filled with the soil of a free and sovereign Jewish David peace accords reached in negotia- mer Ambassador to Qatar. state. ·2 - THE RHODE ISLAND HERALD, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1981 A Rep_orter's Notebook: Begin's Visit T9 Egypt by Gil Sedan Israel that he would continue the peace ALEXANDRIA (JTA) -The bellboy who process after Israel's final withdrawal showed me to my hotel room hardly knew from Sinai , Sadat did not use the phrase what I was doing here. Talks? What talks? that has become traditional for him, " no Was Premier Menachem Begin of Israel more war. " here in Alexandria? He let Begin announce, instead, that he The bellboy· was not an exception. was confident Egypt would not go back on Israel's peace with Egypt was hardly the its peace commitment. Yes, Sadat. con­ talk of the town as Begin and President ceded, there are some difficulties in im­ Anwar Sadat met here for two days.