Editorial in Negro Newspaper Praises Israel for Aid to Developing Afro-asian Nations

Israel is the major source of technical know-how for most of the new developing nations in Africa, according to an editorial in the “Chicago Daily Defender,” the nation’s largest Negro-owned daily newspaper. “Within the last two years,” the editorial notes, 35 countries have asked Israel for help.” Engineers and agronomists from Israel are “supervising development projects from Singapore to Liberia and, at the same time, training local workers to carry on when they leave,” the editorial states. In addition, young Asians and Africans studying under scholarships have found every major educations institution in Israel open to them. As a result, the editorial states, the Soviet Union has been extremely rankled with Israel’s “no-red-tape projects.”

The proof of Israel’s effective aid programs, the editorial notes, “Is perhaps found in the Soviet broadcasts beamed to Africa.” The Russians, the editorial continues, view Israel’s example as a serious threat to their own penetration into the new nations. “The Soviet’s shortwave radio has repeatedly denounced Israel’s aid program as ‘a new form of colonialism’ and ‘economic imperialism.’ African officials listen to these outbursts, then laugh them off and continue to expand their contracts with Israel.” Thus, the editorial continues, black Africa and the black people the world over “have some stake in Israel’s fierce struggle to preserve her identity as a nation and remain unencumbered and independent. History is on her side.” The editorial, which appeared in the “Chicago Daily Defender” on August 24, is scheduled to appear in the Courier chain of newspapers owned by John H. Sengstacke who is also the owner of this Chicago newspaper. According to a spokesman for the newspaper, more than one million black people read the various newspapers in the Courier chain.