ISRAEL IS GLAD TO HAVE AN ALLY AGAINST TERROR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000605850003-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 1, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: October 17, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
` Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/01 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000605850003-8
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ARTICLE AP EARED 17 October 1985
ON PAGE
Israel Is Glad to Have
an Ally Against Terror
TEL AVIV-Washington has journeyed
a long way since August, 1973, when the
U:N. Security Council, with full'U.S. sup-
port, condemned Israel for intercepting a
Middle East Airlines plane and forcing it to
land in Israel. Israeli intelligence had been
informed that, among the passengers was
George Habash, leader of the Palestinian
Popular Liberation Front, who was re-
sponsible for hundreds of terrorist acts and
the deaths of many innocent people. Ha-
bash was not caught, and Israel felt itself to
be in isolation in its struggle against
international terror.
There is, consequently, enormous satis-
faction in Israel over the interception of the
Egyptian aircraft by American fighter
planes in a bid to bring to justice the four
hijacker-killers. Washington has made a
decisive move in its fight against terror. At
long last it has joined the lamentably small
club of nations not content to use words as
their only weapon against international
terror.
Israeli military and terrorism experts are
extremely complimentary about the Amer-
ican operation and those who executed it.
One small mistake would have disrupted
the entire operation.
Washington had a relative bargain com-
pared with the numerous Israeli operations
against terrorist organizations. Washing-
ton had the opportunity of flexing its
muscles without, opening fire or spilling
blood, and the benefit of doing so in
international airspace, not over foreign
territory.
But the operation was not without
problems in other respects. It was politi-
cally difficult for the United States to
intercept an aircraft of a friendly country
with whom it is anxious to maintain good
relations. To weaken President Hosni Mu-
barak's position at home, when he is facing
pressure from the political opposition and
waves of fundamentalist protest, is neither
in Washington's nor in Israel's interest.
Egypt has been put in a most embarrassing
position, though for the most part, Mubarak
has only himself to blame.
The interception episode also demon-
strated that - in international terror, the
most traditional Western partners dare not
to cooperatefully.
Italy was forced to accept and jail the
four killer-hijacker's-but it hurriedly re-
leased the men who masterminded the
operation:, Italy thus became an indirect
partner In this organization's reign of
terror, including that directed against
Italian citizens.
This is not the first time that Italy has
acted this way toward killers who have.
By ZEV SCH FF
turned the country, and especially Rome's
international airport, into the scene of
murder. The government's acquiescence in
this instance lies in its wish to maintain
good relations with the Palestine Libera-
tion Organization, and in its fear that the
Palestinians might assist the Red Brigades
in Italy.
Earlier, the socialist government of
Greece also was quick to release Arab
terrorists.
In the war against terror, the United
States and Israel have only two genuine
partners in the European community-
West Germany and Great Britain. France is
prepared to cooperate, but Paris can also
spring surprises.
In the Middle East, Israel is America's
one and only genuine partner in the war
against international terror. Arab countries
such as Egypt and Jordan pay generous lip
service to the war against terror, but in
deed they come up short. Egypt worked to
put an end to the hijacking of the Italian
liner, but promised Yasser Arafat that it
would release the hijackers. Only heavy
Israeli pressure on the Jordanians drove
Amman to warn leading Palestinians
against terrorist acts and hold them in
check.
The interception of the aircraft with the
four terrorists may be, as far as America is
concerned, the beginning of a new chapter.
It is hoped that the United States now will
understand that in the struggle with this
sort of plague, sterile and defensive opera-
tions will not always do.
Israel, of course, understands that
Washington is not at liberty tp do whatever
Israel does in its war against terror. What
Israel erects of Washington today is true
cooperation in the effort, encompassing all
branches of American intelligence, includ-
ing covert operations, and support of such
operations when performed by others.
Israel also expects firm U.S. support in
international organizations and countries
with whom it has no diplomatic ties, when
it concerns the fight against terror.
At the same time, it must be borne in
mind that war against terror, however
important, cannot be a substitute for the
Middle East peace process. There are
Palestinians who perpetuate acts of terror
to wreck the peace process, but there also
are Israelis who use that as an excuse not to
join it.
The question is: how to conduct the
peace process without losing heart despite
the terror.
Zev Schiff is defense editor of the Israeli
daglHaaretz.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/01 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000605850003-8