FROM OUR ARCHIVES
65 YEARS AGO
On January 8, 1952, The Jerusalem Post reported that a resolution with the avowed object of resolving nothing for the time being in Israel-Arab relations, and on waiting on major developments elsewhere, was jointly introduced by the US, France, Britain and Turkey at the opening of a fulldress debate on Palestine in the UN General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Political Committee. The gist of this resolution was to place the Palestine Conciliation Commission on the “retired list,” but to make it available for active service whenever required.
More than 200 persons were hurt as police defended the Knesset from a Herut political party riot. Police riot squads fought an organized Herut and former Irgun Zvai Leumi members who tried to prevent the 10-hour Knesset debate on the subject of Israel’s reparations from Germany. Over 1,000 demonstrators battled the police in a two-hour street battle. The question of an approach to Bonn for reparations was debated in an atmosphere of violence unprecedented in Israel’s parliamentary life. While Herut members complained that the police were behaving savagely, eyewitnesses praised the police restraint in face of heavy provocations. There were also small demonstrations against reparations organized by Mapam and Communists in Tel Aviv and Haifa.
In Bonn, government circles welcomed the Knesset debate and the decision to negotiate directly with Germany.
50 YEARS AGO
On January 8, 1966, The Jerusalem Post reported that the Syrians had stepped up their attacks at both ends of Lake Kinneret and again tried to gain a foothold in the Demilitarized Zone on Israel’s side of the border. Despite the shelling and heavy machine-gun fire there were no Israeli casualties. A tractor driver miraculously escaped with his life. Russian-made Syrian tanks opened fire in the Almagor area, north of the lake, and on tractors working at Tel Katzir. Syrians also started burning fields to obtain a more clear vision, At noon, UN observers started an investigation. Residents of Beit Katzir complained that Syrian shepherds regularly grazed their flocks in the kibbutz fields.
In Amman, premier Wasfi e-Tal charged that Syria and Egypt were directing the “conspiracy” against Jordan in collusion with Israel.
The US State Department in a letter to senator Jacob Javits (New York, Republican) had indicated its conviction that a great-power conference or UN General Assembly action to resolve Israeli-Arab differences would prove useless because of Israel’s “failure” to implement the UN resolution on repatriation and compensation of Arab refugees.
25 YEARS AGO
On January 8, 1992, The Jerusalem Post reported that chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Ehud Barak warned that more Palestinian activists might be deported and international criticism blunted, if their exile would be limited to a fixed term.
The Washington peace talks were not expected to be resumed for at least a week, as Arab diplomats indicated that their delegations were still on the way. Yossi Ben-Aharon, director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, indicated to reporters that Israeli patience was limited and that delegation members did not necessarily have time for the Arabs to arrive.
More than 18,000 new homes had been built in Judea and Samaria since Ariel Sharon became housing minister, two opposition members