Middle East: Heresy in Cairo

The 400 delegates to the Palestine Liberation Organization's National Assembly in Cairo could hardly believe their ears. From President Gamal Abdel Nasser, they had expected the usual blood-and-thunder oratory they have heard from Arab leaders for the past 17 years—a harangue on the need to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

Unclosed Eyes. Instead, Nasser reminded his listeners of the disastrous Arab summit meeting (TIME, June 4), which failed to reach agreement on a single agenda item. "We must face facts today and not close our eyes," Nasser declared. "Today...