Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Eisenhower Asked to Discuss King Saud’s Discrimination Against Jews

January 23, 1957
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

The American Jewish Congress called on President Eisenhower today to include in the agenda of his forthcoming discussions with King Saud of Saudi Arabia three problems “of vital concern to American citizens.” The three problems are:

1.Saudi Arabia’s policy of exclusion of American Air Force personnel of Jewish faith from the Dhahran Air Base; 2. Saudi Arabia’s international traffic in slaves; 3. King Saud’s “bloodthirsty and inflammatory statements” avowing destruction of Israel.

In a letter sent to President Eisenhower, Dr. Israel Goldstein, president of the American Jewish Congress, asserted his belief that the meeting with King Saud, who is now en route to Washington for a state visit beginning on January 30, will provide the Chief Executive with “an unparalleled opportunity to defend the rights of American citizens and to vindicate those principles of international morality to which our country is committed.”

The letter recalled, in connection with the business boycott and the exclusion of American Air Force personnel from Dhahran, that on July 28, 1956, the U.S. Senate had unanimously adopted a resolution in which it expressed the sense of the Senate that it regarded “such distinctions” directed against U.S. citizens as incompatible with the relations that should exist among friendly nations and called upon the Executive Branch to maintain this principle in all negotiations between it and any foreign state.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement