Saudi Bias Against Jewish Gi’s Remains State Department Problem

Saudi Arabian discrimination against the stationing of American Jews at the Dharan Airfield is a matter “of continuing concern to the Department of State” which is “pressing for amelioration of the restrictions,” according to word received here today by Commander Irvin J. Good, of the Philadelphia County Council, Jewish War Veterans.

The assurance that the State Department is making efforts to remove the Saudi Arabian restrictions against Jewish personnel was made in a letter to Commander Good from William M. Rountree, Assistant Secretary of State in charge of Middle Eastern Affairs. The letter was in response to a resolution protesting the discriminations sent by the Jewish War Veterans here recently to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.

Mr. Rountree repeated earlier State Department assertions to the effect that the matter of admission of “persons of Jewish faith” into Saudi Arabia “is not related to the Dharan Airfield agreement” between this country and the Arab state, but rather to that country visa regulations.

The Jewish War Veterans had also protested against the facts that all religious services at the Dharan Airfield are held in secret, and that U.S. chaplains cannot wear the insignia of their faith.