daily nebraskan
Wednesday, may 3, 1978
Professor returns to Israel to make his contribution
page 6
By Joe Starita
"Despite the pain and grief I felt while watching 'Holo
caust' I'm glad NBC decided to show it. The show con
vinced me of one tiling: that my place is in Israel."
For the last two yean, Joseph Perl's place has been at
UNL. But within a month the electrical engineering assist
ant professor, his wife and two small children will return
to Israel.
Not because they dislike the United States, explained
the Rumanian-born Perl, but because "I want to raise my
children in our culture with our language.
"1 like the U.S.," said Perl, who graduated from the
Israel Institute of Technology in 1972. "I love the people
here, but I have to contribute to the well-being of my
country. The U.S. can take care of itself. It doesn't need
me. Israel might."
Returning to Israel in June will be smoother than Perl's
initial entry into the coutnry 17 years ago.
"My father tried to get into Israel for 40 years. In the
early 1930s, he tried to immigrate to Palestine but his
efforts were blocked by the British.
"After the war, Rumania's communist government
wouldn't let him go.
"Finally, in 1961 we lied and said we wanted to visit
France. Once we got to France we were able to get a visa
and passport without any trouble."
Not all of Perl's family made it to Israel in 1961. He
said members of his and his wife's family were gassed in
Nazi concertration camps.
Watching 'Holocaust,' added Perl, convinced him that
it is better to be a majority in Israel than a minority mem
ber of another country.
Bouncing his son on one knee, Perl explained in ex
cellent English what he thinks it will take to bring about a
Middle Eastern peace.
He said the necessary ingredient to any peace settle
ment is an assurance that Arabs do not want to destroy
Israel. Without such an assurance, Perl added, there are
two solutions.
"One solution is that the Arabs win a war, completely
destroying Israel. That is a clear solution.
"Another is that both sides keep fighting-winning
some and losing some, winning some and losing some
until both sides have had enough and are forced into
peace."
Perl said Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's November
visit to Israel "was a commendable act," but a settlement
must be rooted in something more substantitive than
"kindness or a piece of paper."
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Arab demands that the legitimate rights of the
Palestinian people must first be restored before a settle
ment can be reached, Perl said, will always be a stumbling
block because "no one knows exactly what that means."
Perl, who fought in the 1967 Six-Day War, said the
rapid conquest of the Arabs in that war led Israel to
believe they were invincible. But the bitter fighting and
heavy casualties of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, he said,
brought Israel back to reality.
Today, added Perl, he would return all Israeli-occupied
territory captured in those wars if it would assure a
Middle Eastern peace.
But based on current Arab offers, he said, it would be
foolish to return that territory.
"If I was the Israeli premier I would not concede an
inch based on Arab offers. Right now Americans are help
ing Saudi Arabia build a large military airbase within a
half-hour's striking distance of Israel.
"Americans are selling Saudi Arabia about 60 F-15s to
equip the airbase. That will be the greatest danger to
Israel .
"And if a war breaks out it will be the first thing de
stroyed. There will be F-15s fighting F-15s."
Perl said American support of Israel is eroding because
Arabs are presenting their side of the conflict more ef
fectively. The belief tht American support of Israel is built upon
Jewish control of the U.S. media is not true, Perl said.
Joseph Perl, electrical engineering assistant professor.
Photo by Mark Billingsley
Initially, American support was caused by guilt, he
said.
"Three-hundred thousand American GI's returned
from World War II after seeing the gas chambers. That's
what caused American support of Israel."
Now, he said, the American media show an Arab hoy
damaged by an Israeli raid. The media neglect to show the
same boy damaged by Arab fighting, added Perl.
"Americars see what they want to see and the press
reflects that view. I am amazed how winds that blow from
the White House affect the press.
"Americans encourage us to make bold, dangerous con
cessions that directly affect our lives. Then we look at
something like the Panama Canal treaty negotiations.
"AH that fuss and commotion over a territory that in
no way directly endangers Ameican lives and is not even
to be turned over to the Panamians until the year 2000."
His two years at UNL have been enjoyable, said Perl,
who spent three-and-a-half years at Colorado State getting
his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees before arriving in Lincoln in
August 1976.
"The students here are great. They're good and
healthy. They are bright, work hard and they're not lay.
I think it looks like a good generation.
Perl said he will leave with American-developed raquct
ball and skiing expertise and good memories of Nebraska.
"Nebraska really is a good life, just like they claim it to
be. I'm certainly not leaving because it's bad. I just want
to build my future and my children's future in my
country."
IN PERSON
LOU WHITTAKER
FRIDAY, MAY 5th
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Lou Whittaker was co-leader of The United States
K2 Expedition last summer. Lou will be in our
store from 12 00-3 00 p.m. Friday. You are
also invited to attend Whittacker's presentation
"K2A Review," an excellent slide and film show
ing. It covers the Pakistan people and their culture,
the history of K2 and the expedition members,
the climb and the walkout. The time 10 00 p.m!
at the City Union (check front desk for room No.)
There is no charge and seating is limited
Lou's appearence is co -sponsored by Jan Sport
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