Behind the Headlines Comrades in Arms

The famous wartime question, friend or foe, was superfluous here as Egyptian and Israeli sailors fraternized in the relaxed atmosphere of the spacious Mount Camel auditorium on the crest of the mount amid resplendent eucalyptus trees overlooking the Haifa Bay. It was obvious that as the sailors mingled and talked to each other there were no foes, only friends. In fact, it was difficult to tell Egyptians and Israelis apart as all were wearing snow white uniforms.

Admiral Mouhamed Ali Mouhamed, commander of the Egyptian navy, and Rear Admiral Zeev Almog, commander of the Israeli navy, made this clear as they addressed the hundreds of sailors in the auditorium. “Looking at the faces of my men I can see that they are happy, satisfied and enjoying every minute of their stay,” Ali Mouhamed said.

Almog beamed as he said. “You have completed the rainbow of peace. Just as after a storm at sea there is a rainbow that indicates calm weather, so is there a rainbow that comes after a war to indicate peace, One end of this rainbow appeared when Israeli naval landing crafts sailed through the Suez Canal and saluted your President at Ismailia. Today you have completed the rainbow with your visit to Haifa.”

Almog had a special reason for saluting this occasion. He was twice before involved in encounters with Egyptians, but under less auspicious circumstances: once during the Six-Day War when he commanded a flotilla that tried to evade Soviet-made missiles fired from Port Said, and once during the Yom Kippur War when he was commander of operations in the Red Sea area.

For Ali Mouhamed, this visit to Israel was by chance. When he came to say farewell to President Anwar Sadat as he was sailing for Haifa to meet with Premier Menachem Begin, Sadat asked the Egyptian naval officer to join him on his trip. He did.

ALMOST DIDN’T HAPPEN

But for the hundreds of sailors and officers comprising the crews of the presidential yacht El Houriyeh, the Elfatah (not the terrorist organization) destroyer and two Soviet-made missile boats, the visit to Haifa was almost a disappointment. As the ships approached Israel’s shore Tuesday an order was issued by Egyptian authorities that there would be no shore leave because this was Sadat’s visit, not that of the Egyptian navy. The Israeli navy, Which was to host their counterpart and had already made preparations for the sailors visit on the basis of a prior understanding that there would be shore leave for the Egyptians, was instructed to cancel the function.

However, when Sadat emerged from his yacht and was asked about the cancellation of shore leave, he immediately instructed that the sailors be granted leave. The sailors cheered their President. Bus loads of Egyptian sailors were taken on a tour of Haifa and then to kibbutzim nearby. In the evening Israeli and Egyptian officers and sailors exchanged greetings, pleasantries and food in the Mount Carmel auditorium and all of them were entertained by a group of performers.

A SWINGING AFFAIR

Litit Najar, an Israeli singer who can bounce out a tune with equal ease in either Hebrew or Arabic, was one of the performers as well as the m. c. But it was the Oriental orchestra of the Israel Broadcasting Service headed by Zuzu Moussa, and his singers, that made the evening a swinging affair. Egyptians and Israelis joined in the rythm of the orchestra and all clapped hands in sheer delight.

Almog told the Egyptians: “Your visit here symbolizes more than everything else our hand shake of peace. I feel as if we are the ones who are implementing the peace agreement. We met today for the first time and started to talk, and it look now as if we have known each other for years, as if we are brothers.”

During intermissions, Egyptians and Israelis tried to establish personal contacts and friendships When Arabic or Hebrew was not understood by either of two people talking to each other, English was used to communicate. Towards midnight, when it was time for the Egyptians to retune to their ships, one Egyptian officer summed up the evening by saying:” It was enjoyable, memorable.” And one by one the Egyptians filed out of the auditorium.