Ottinger Accuses Post Office of Abetting Arab Terrorists to Blackmail Israel

Congressman Richard L. Ottinger today accused the Post Office of defrauding people who seek to ship parcel post packages airmail to Israel, and of abetting the attempt by Arab terrorists to blackmail Israel. Ottinger revealed two weeks ago that the Post Office was no longer shipping air parcel post packages to Israel. Today he disclosed that despite the termination of air shipments, the Post Office is still charging air mail rates and defrauding customers by not telling them that their packages will be sent by boat instead of plane. “No directive has been Issued telling customers their packages will not be sent air mail. No orders have been sent for post office personnel to refuse such shipments, and no rebates are permitted unless the customer produces the original wrapping paper after it has been received in Israel. The obvious intent of the administration is not to arouse the Jewish community.” Ottinger said.

“Such a policy.” Ottinger noted, “compounds the original error and places the Post Office in the position of cheating customers who seek to send packages to Israel.” Ottinger called on the Post Office Department to negotiate an airmail contract with El Al who has said it would send parcel post packages by air, and to stop its policy of deception towards the public. The Democratic congressman also urged today the New York State Democratic Party to include in its platform a plank on the Middle East crisis. The Party, which has nominated Arthur J. Goldberg, former Supreme Court Justice and Ambassador to the United Nations as their gubernatorial candidate in this year’s election campaign, and adopted a platform on local, national and international issues, “made no mention whatsoever of the Middle East crisis,” Mr. Ottinger said. He stated he would offer planks condemning the Nixon administration’s “one-sided, pro-Arab policies, and demanding an end to all military assistance to the Arabs and fulfillment of Israel’s request for the aircraft she needs for defense against Arab attacks.”