Simone De Beauvoir Condemns Syria’s Treatment of Israeli Pows Barbaric

France’s well-known author and philosopher, Simone de Beauvoir, today decried the “inhuman behavior” of Syria in its continued refusal to turn over to the Red Cross a list of Israeli prisoners it holds captive. In a special article in the newspaper “Le Monde,” Ms de Beauvoir condemned Syria’s “gratuitous cruelty” and said that if Damascus continues “to step on the laws (Geneva Conventions) recognized by all nations to limit the horrors of war, then it deserves to be called “barbaric.”

Furthermore, she said, the “vindictive obstinacy” on the part of Syria runs completely counter to the rest of the Arab world’s campaign since the outbreak of the October War to improve its rather negative world image. She referred in particular to Egypt’s efforts to show the world it was, treating its POWs humanely. Ms. de Beauvoir concluded with the plea that if “Syria refuses to heed the protests of its enemies, perhaps the Arab world could make Damascus listen to reason by convincing the Syrians of the great damage they are doing to the Arab cause in the world.”