World: Israel and Its Enemies

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Against the unknown and against the foe our borders will spread—From sea to sea and mountain to mountain.

ARIEL ("ARIK") SHARON, the paratroop general who heads the southern command of Israel's defense forces, is so fond of the Hebrew couplet that he has hung it over the entrance of his Beersheba headquarters. But the exuberant confidence that once made it so fitting has disappeared in Israel. A note of doubt is creeping in. From Mount Hermon down to the Red Sea, Israel dispatched her Arab foes with relative ease in three wars. But now there is a new unknown to cope with in the form of Russia's dramatically increased presence in the Middle East, and it is an ominous one. Said one Israeli last week: "We are knocking out every Egyptian gun we can find, probably hundreds in recent months. But no sooner do we destroy them than two days later the Russians replace them. It's like a science-fiction plot—a war against an endless army of ants."

The Soviet presence, to Israel's alarm, has vastly revived the Arabs' enthusiasm for battle. From Israel's point of view, the fighting between Arab fedayeen and Arab soldiers in Jordan last week was only one scene, and not necessarily an encouraging one, in a far broader theater. Even while gunfire blazed in Amman, other guerrillas raided Israel along the Jordanian border. Israeli troops patrolled inside Lebanon to contain guerrilla activity there, but the fedayeen nevertheless managed to loft Soviet-made Katyusha rockets into the frontier town of Kiryat Shemona. Syrian artillerymen firing Russian guns shelled a border defense settlement called Nahal Gishor, killing a girl soldier. Suez rocked with the sound and fury of the heaviest fighting of all.

Last Resort

If Moscow's infusion of men and missiles has not yet altered the region's strategic balance, it certainly has stirred misgivings, not only in Israel but also in the U.S. It has, moreover, pushed President Nixon closer to a decision that is certain to hurt Washington in every Arab capital and to complicate U.S.-Soviet relations.

The turmoil in Jordan last week overshadowed and probably delayed the decision, but did not reverse it. Some time in the near future the Nixon Administration will inform the Israelis that they can have more U.S. planes. Not as many as they want—Premier Golda Meir has requested 25 U.S.-built Phantom jets and 100 Skyhawks—but some. There will be strings. The U.S. will probably continue to refuse to replace planes lost in actions against Lebanon or Jordan. It will also urge Israel to drop its demand for direct, unconditional talks with the Arabs and to indicate a readiness to part with at least some of the territory acquired during the Six-Day War. Even so, Arab reaction to the decision is bound to be severe. Libya is expected to sever diplomatic relations with the U.S. and may also crack down on U.S. oil companies operating there. Hostile demonstrations are certain to be staged against U.S. embassies, not to mention American diplomats, businessmen and possibly even tourists.