Nixon, Humphrey Reaffirm Calls for Prompt Sale of Phantom Jets to Israel

The two major Presidential candidates–Republican Richard M. Nixon and Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey–reiterated today their call for American military support of Israel, including the delivery of F-4 Phantom jet supersonic fighter-bombers that Israel said it needs. Both candidates, in messages to the 71st annual convention of the Zionist Organization of America, stressed America’s commitments to Israel’s independent existence.

Mr. Humphrey spoke of military aid to Israel “to maintain a balance of power in the area.” Mr. Nixon, repeating a statement he made before the triennial convention of B’nai B’rith here last week, said that he would “give Israel a technological military margin to more than offset her hostile neighbors’ numerical superiority.” Vice President Humphrey said in his message that “as a friend of Israel from its inception…I support active U.S. diplomatic efforts for Arab-Israeli negotiation. In the meantime, I have supported and will continue to support U.S. military aid to Israel, including Phantom jet aircraft, to maintain a balance of power in the area.” Mr. Nixon declared that Israel, “faced with the direct threat to her security…must have the strength to deter any attempts on her freedom and sovereignty.” Thus, he said, “I support a policy that would give Israel a technological military margin to more than offset her hostile neighbors’ numerical superiority and if maintaining that margin should require that the U.S. supply Israel with supersonic Phantom jets, we should supply those jets.” Mr. Nixon said that “the U.S. has a firm and unwavering commitment to the national existence of Israel, repeated by four Presidents–and after inauguration day next year, it will be repeated by another President.” He hailed Israel as the nation that introduced democracy to the Middle East, “a full-fledged exponent of the Western way of life” and a “bulwark of strength in the paths of Soviet ambitions” in the Middle East.

Dr. Emanuel Neumann, chairman of the American section of the Jewish Agency and a former ZOA president, told the convention that while Mr. Humphrey and Mr. Nixon had “spoken well and clearly” about arms for Israel, they have “not ventured to awaken America to the extent of the dangers on the Middle East and the increasing influence of the Soviet Union in that region.” Both Dr. Neumann and Jacques Torozyner, who was re-elected today to a fourth term as ZOA president, stressed Israel’s need for Western immigration. Dr. Neumann urged every American Jewish family to send at least one of its members to settle in Israel. He predicted that “thousands of American Jews” would settle in Israel. Mr. Torozyner said Israel needed Western immigrants to maintain a Western orientation and culture.