FROM OUR ARCHIVES
65 YEARS AGO
On September 12, 1951, The Jerusalem Post reported that prime minister David Ben-Gurion had renewed his invitation to all political parties, from the General Zionists on the right to Mapam on the left, to join his coalition government. He was speaking in the Knesset after the Mapam Council in Tel Aviv had voted to break off the coalition negotiations. Despite this development Ben-Gurion was still hopeful of uniting all parties willing to join in national security, and ingathering of exiles, the development of the homeland and the fostering of world peace.
The Knesset debated the food situation after agriculture minister Pinhas Lavon listed seven sources of the black market: food brought by new immigrants; food parcels from abroad; new immigrants selling their rations, because they were accustomed to different diets; a high percentage of wasted food; the extensive black market in private and cooperative produce; the foodstuffs smuggled into the country; too many wholesalers and food dealers.
“The first test of willingness to agree is willingness to meet,” the Israeli delegate told the members of the Palestine Conciliation Commission. In Paris, Maurice Fischer, head of the Israeli delegation, dined with the American head of the PCC, Ely Palmer, and the other two members: Rustu Aras (Turkey) and Leon Marshal (France), and told them that only a comprehensive settlement covering all points of dispute had any chance of success.
Ya’acov Samovski was shot by two marauders in the Sharon area.
In the Knesset debate on the food situation, Yosef. Sapir (General Zionists) contested the figures of the agriculture minister, and urged new food distribution program.
15 YEARS AGO
On September 12, 2001, The Jerusalem Post reported in block letters that the previous day America was under attack. Thousands died as two hijacked planes destroyed the World Trade Center. The Pentagon was also hit by a seized plane. Mounting an audacious attack against the US, terrorists crashed two hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center and brought down in the twin 110-story towers. A jetliner also slammed into Washington’s Pentagon as the seat of the government itself came under attack. Hundreds were killed aboard the jets, and untold numbers were feared dead in the rubble. Thousands were injured in New York alone. A fourth jetliner, also apparently hijacked, crashed in Pennsylvania.
Rescue workers had been trying to evacuate those who worked in twin towers when the glass- and-steel skyscrapers came down in a thunderous roar within 90 minutes after the attack which took place minutes apart from 9 a.m. But many people were thought to have been trapped. About 50,000 people worked at the Trade Center and thousands of visitors visited the place daily.
American Airlines said two of its planes, both hijacked, crashed with a total of 150 people aboard, but it could not confirm where they went down.
President George W. Bush ordered a full-scale investigation to “hunt down the folks who committed this act.” In Israel, prime minister Ariel Sharon declared a day of national mourning and said in a brief announcement that “the fight against terror is an “international struggle against the forces of darkness, who seek to destroy our liberty and way of life.” “On behalf of the people of Israel, I wish to send our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the American people, President Bush and the entire American government.”
Magen David Adom had asked that Israelis with Type O donate blood at MDA stations in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Tel Hashomer, The blood was to be flown to the US.
– Alexander Zvielli