More than 12,000 cheering members of Los Angeles’ Jewish community gave Israeli Premier Menachem Begin a rousing welcome at an Israel 30th anniversary rally in the Forum Auditorium in suburban Inglewood last night. The Premier went to the rally immediately after his arrival from Washington where he had talks yesterday with President Carter and Secretary of State Cyrus Vance. (See related Begin story.)
In an intense demonstration of support and solidarity with Israel, the audience electrified by the Premier’s appearance, interrupted his speech with applause and cheers numerous times. Obviously in a good mood after his talks in Washington, Begin reiterated Israel’s determination to work for peace, but declared, nonetheless, that Israel will never return to the 1967 border line that would make it vulnerable to attack along its narrow coastal strip. Begin insisted that Israel would never place itself in a dangerous situation in which, he claimed, a concentration of 9000 Arab tanks could bring disaster.
“We shall continue to strive for peace, we shall not cease until it is reached,” Begin said. In an appeal to the Soviet Union, he called on “the leaders of the Kremlin” to let at least 100,000 Jews per year leave the Soviet Union to come to Israel. On his talks in Washington, Begin said they differed markedly from his last meetings there in March.
He drew laughter when he said, “I bring you good tidings from Washington. I spent a whole day there and nobody asked me to resign.” He described President Carter’s speech at yesterday’s White House lawn reception honoring Israel’s 30th anniversary as one that will be “long remembered.”
EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
Overwhelming expressions of support for Israel were given prior to Begin’s appearance by Gov. Jerry Brown of California and Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles. Brown, who opposed Carter in the 1976 Democratic Presidential primaries and is believed by many to aspire to the Democratic nomination in 1980, obliquely criticized the Administration’s Middle East policies.
He said peace will not come to that region by making concessions but will be the result of direct negotiations. He said that while the U.S. is seeking new friends in the Middle East it should not forget “our first friend,” Israel and its needs.
During the rally for Begin, several hundred Palestinians and their supporters demonstrated outside the auditorium waving PLO flags and denouncing Israel and its policies. The demonstrators clashed with police several times and a number of them were arrested.
Begin arrived here early last evening and was received at the airport by Jewish community leaders and by Jewish students waving American and Israeli flags and singing Hebrew songs. This morning the Premier had breakfast with Israel Bond leaders at the Century Plaza Hotel where he and his entourage are staying. He had lunch with other local community leaders and later affixed a mezuzah on the gate of the Menachem Begin Institute of Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University’s Los Angeles campus. Begin was due to depart for Chicago late this afternoon.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
