Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Abie Natan and I

'Voice of Peace' Founder Abie Nathan Dead at 81

In 1966 he flew his single-engine plane called "Shalom One" from Tel Aviv to Port Said, Egypt, where he was arrested and sent back to Israel. The flight made world headlines and a few weeks later he carried his campaign to Europe, the United States and even the Soviet Union.


That flight was in February. In April, he arrived in New York and we greeted him at the plaza across from the UN. Well, sort of greeted him. Betar, my youth movement, did not think his stunt clever or helpful. At the best, we thought him another naive person.

I approached him and asked for an autograph and said to him, "I am also for peace. A piece of Egypt (Gaza) and a piece of Jordan (Judea and Samaria)." He didn't think it funny.

Later that year, I flew off to Israel for a year's leadership course. In June 1967, Israel had Gaza (and Sinai) and Judea and Samaria (and the Golan).

I didn't do so bad with my piece dreams.

1 comment:

Batya said...

I met him over a decade later and will post about it, bli neder, G-d wiling.