Israelis tend to hide their emotions in public while Arabs are prove to display their feelings. And thereby hangs a tale. U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger told Israeli leaders that Arabs are smoochier than Israelis when they greet foreign diplomats, or, at least, Kissinger. The Secretary, who was in good spirits during a reception given in his honor by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan and his wife, explained why he “was selling out Israel.” The 100 guests at Dayan’s home listened eagerly, “You know why I am selling you out? Because in every Arab capital I am met by the Foreign Minister who welcomes me with loud kisses on both cheeks. But here Abba Eban has never given me the least little kiss.” One wag at the party whispered: “Maybe that’s because Eban is really a Litvak.”
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.
