ments that future generations will surely marvel at with a mix- br

ture of total astonishment and uncontrollable laughter.

•aaaPresident Yitzhak Navon is upset over the serious Arab br

agitation in the Galilee. He is aware of the fact that from the br

Jewish standpoint there is a desperate need to settle Jews in that br

strategic northern region, where they are already a minority. br

This has led to a government program to “Judaize the Galilee.” br

On September 13, 1978, while on a visit there, he noted that the br

phrase is offensive to the Arabs. “It is preferable,” he said, “to br

use the term ‘Jewish settlement of the Galilee.’ It is more correct br

and also politically better.” Of course. It is obvious that that will br

soothe the Arabs and prevent future Land Days in the br

Galilee. . . .

•aaaThen Foreign Minister Yigal Allon was wont to hold an an- br

nual “Spring Jewish-Arab Gathering” at which—in the manner of br

some British colonial raja or pukka—he would speak to the assem- br

bled. On May 26, 1976, Allon said: “History decreed that Jews and br

Arabs should forever live side by side . . . always, within the inde- br

pendent State of Israel itself, there will be Jews, Muslims, Druzes, br

and Christians, living together as citizens with equal rights. . . .

“I believe that, in the future as in the past, the Jewish majority br

and the Arab minority will be able to live in understanding, cooper- br

ation, and mutual respect in the State of Israel, which arose to br

solve the national problem of the Jewish people. . . .

“To the extent that misunderstandings arise, it is neces- br

sary, and possible, to resolve them peacefully, in a spirit of un- br

derstanding and goodwill, without deviating from the progressive br

democratic laws which prevail in our country.”

It is almost beyond comprehension that a foreign minister br

could have made such statements. One is faced with an agoniz- br

ing choice: either he sincerely meant what he said and thus was br

both incompetent and bewildered, or he understood the non- br

sense he was saying and his contempt for Arab intelligence was br

profound.

“The Jewish majority and the Arab minority will be able to live br

in understanding. . . .” Note the assumption: that there will br

always be a Jewish majority in the state that arose to solve the br

Jewish “national problem.” And what if through the peaceful br

cooperation, mutual respect, and understanding that Allon br