Israeli Fears Future Anti-Semitic Red Purges; Wants Arab Friendship

Referring to the recent high level Czech purge as "Nazi-like," Shimon Chasdi 3G, native of Palestine and former captain in the Israeli army, expressed apprehension about the spread of anti-Semitism in the Soviet sphere.

At the same time, Chasdi decried Arab unwillingness to negotiate directly with Israel, but hoped a grandiose program for Middle Eastern development would ease tension in the area.

The Czech prosecutor, in summing up his case against 14 defendants, 11 of whom were Jews, said "They are rats, snakes, and cannibals, and the verdict of the judges must fall like an iron fist on this nest of snakes without mercy." Zionism was listed as one of their major crimes.

Anti-Zionists

"They were anti-Zionists," Chasdi claimed. He said the defendants had made it extremely difficult for Zionists who wanted to leave the country for Israel. Asked if this trial might set off similar Iron Curtain purges, he said, "I have a suspicion that something tragic may happen."

In Israel, the leading coalition party, Mapai, declared the "Jews were a scapegoat to cover difficulties within the country." Meanwhile, the pro-Russian, Communist and Mapam parties who together poll about 11 percent of the votes, were "shocked and confused."

Chasdi accused the Arab states of "swimming against the stream of international relations of our times" in refusing to enter direct peace negotiations. He felt this seemed to indicate that they were harboring hostile intentions.

Urgent Problem

He agreed the Arab refugees of the Holy Land war constitute a pressing problem but argued that to bring back 800,000 Arabs to a land of 1,700,000 would place too great a burden on an already strained Israeli economy.

Israel doesn't have the housing or money to resettle them," he declared, "There is a danger that they could become a fifth column if war were resumed. We already have 250,000 Arabs in our country."

Chasdi said that his government dislikes settling differences on a piecemeal basis. "Israel wants to discuss all problems at one time." He added, "When we're confident of peaceful intentions on their part, we will perhaps accept a certain number of refugees, but only while solving other problems."

He mentioned Israeli Ambassador Iban's recent proposal at the UN, which suggested that the Arab nations and Israel start work on an overall program to develop the Middle East.