Political Action and Public Education Program to Serve Mideast Cause Outlined

A four-point program for “political action and public education” to serve American interests and the cause of Middle East peace was outlined today by Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. In a letter to the presidents of the Conference’s 32 national constituent organizations, Schindler declared:

“The swiftly-changing Middle East scene is moving into a new and crucial period, one that demands vigorous and informed action by an alert and vigilant Jewish community. How clearly these events are understood by the American people and the makers of public policy is likely to determine both the future of the Jewish State and the chances of peace in the Middle East.

“(1) Through political action and public education we must make clear that there can be no peace if the murderous band of terrorists who call themselves the Palestine Liberation Organization are permitted to take part in the Geneva peace talks. By word and deed–by its charter and by its frightful acts of violence–the PLO has disqualified itself from any table at which the peaceful settlement of disputes is discussed.

“(2) Through political action and public education we must make clear that there can be no peace in the Middle East, no security for America’s ally Israel and no protection for American interests in the creation of a so-called Palestinian state. By its very existence, such a state would offer a base for terrorist incursion and Soviet political intrusion of the Middle East, thus exploding whatever settlement is reached by Israel and the Arab states.

“(3) Through political action and public education we must make clear that there can be no peace unless it is a negotiated peace, agreed to in treaties signed by the parties, and that neither the United States nor the Soviet Union–separately or acting in concert–can set the terms of the negotiations or determine their outcome.

“(4) Through political action and public education we must make clear that there can be no peace if it is based on the joint U.S.-Soviet declaration of October 1, 1977. Productive negotiations at Geneva can be based only on UN Resolution 242, which calls for a ‘just settlement of the refugee problem’ and which affirms the ‘sovereignty territorial integrity and political independence of every state in the area’ living within ‘secure and recognized boundaries.’

“In interpreting these vital issues to our fellow Americans, we will be serving the interests of our country and the cause of Middle East peace–and thus the security and dignity of our fellow Jews abroad.”