FROM OUR ARCHIVES

50 YEARS AGO On January 11, 1962, The

Jerusalem Post reported that the worst floods in 32 years struck Tel Aviv. More than 200 cases of flooding were reported as 80 mm. of rain fell in central Israel in little more than 12 hours.

“There is a warm friendship between our two countries... the Danish people feels a deep sympathy for Israel and its courageous people,” Danish prime minister Viggo Kampmann declared at Lydda Airport on his arrival for a six-day official visit. The Danish premier, who was accompanied by Mrs. Kampmann and his secretary, were welcomed by prime minister David BenGurion, Knesset Speaker Kadish Luz and a number of cabinet members. Later the party drove straight to Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, the Foreign Ministry denied a report published by the French Le Figaro that the action of Jewish commandos in Oran was inspired by the Israeli government as a means to bring about a partition of Algeria. The ministry said that this report, by Serge Bromberger, Le Figaro’s correspondent in Algeria, was “totally lacking all basis in truth.”

The Israel Medical Association marked the 50th year of its existence.

25 YEARS AGO

On January 11, 1987, The Jerusalem Post reported from Washington that the White House had released two top-secret documents relating to the Irangate scandal, which apparently indicated that Israel’s role in initiating the transfer of arms to Iran was greater than Jerusalem had acknowledged. However, later Israel had sharply rejected all allegations made in the US that Jerusalem had initiated the Iranian arms sales policy.

Foreign minister Shimon Peres called upon Italy to act as a gobetween in efforts to bring about direct peace talks between Israel and Jordan.

Israel Air Force jets attacked Palestinian terrorist positions in the hills overlooking Sidon, Lebanon, killing at least three Palestinians and partially destroying their positions.

10 YEARS AGO

On January 11, 2002, The Jerusalem Post’s Miriam Shaviv wrote that the seizure of the Karine-a ship was but one victory in the IDF’S continuing effort to prevent the smuggling of arms and other contraband into and through Palestinian Authority controlled territory. Shaviv examined how serious the problem was and what should have been done to make Israel’s borders less porous. There was a viable possibility that the Palestinian Authority, various Palestinian terror groups and Hezbollah had succeeded in getting other boats through. The situation became more difficult when the Oslo agreements were signed in the early 1990s allowing the number of weapons the Palestinians could own and even manufacture.

- Alexander Zvielli