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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 37, No 15. July 3 1974

Facts on the Middle-East

Facts on the Middle-East

Dear Sir,

Pete Fergusson's letter (June 19) purporting to set the facts right on the Arab-Israel dispute, proves that the Zionists were always expansionist — by omitting great chunks of history dealing with Arab belligerance. He ignores, for example, that much resentment to Jewish settlement was not spontaneous but incited by local leaders, notably the Mufti of Jerusalem (a notorious pro-nazi) for political purposes. There is no mention of unprovoked massacres of Jews in the 1920s and 30s, the invasion of Palestine by five armies (including the highly organised Arab Legion) in May 1948, or of the heavy responsibility which Arab intransigence to any alliance with the Jewish community had in leading to the refugees' plight and Israel's expansion. Instead, we are expected to believe the ridiculous notion that the Palestinian Arabs were undeserving victims of solely Jewish aggression.

Nor did his letter mention that Nasser's closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping in 1967 was the main causes of belli, or that the UN Resolution of November 1967 calls not only for Israel's withdrawal from occupied territories but also for a general peace settlement, and that its provisions were rejected by all Arab states.

I would suggest that, if Mr Fergusson really is interested in facts and not simply in the hoary old pro-Arab cliches, he consult some objective references, such as John Marlowe's "Rebellion in Palestine", Jon Kimche's "The Second Arab Awakening", and Walter Laqueur's "The Road to War 1967".

D.E. Carr

So this is what's meant by 'sub-judice'