The Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) has initiated a massive campaign to collect signatures demanding American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The campaign, which was suggested by Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, will continue through October in the 715 Reform congregations in the United States. The petitions will be presented to President Carter in early December.
Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn, ARZA president, emphasized that “the campaign in no way expresses any displeasure with the Camp David accords. On the contrary, we are extremely pleased with what can be a giant step toward peace in the Middle East, and grateful for the role President Carter played in eliciting compromise on all sides.
“The agreements do, however, leave issues open for future negotiation and determination, among them the status of Jerusalem. We fear that American refusal to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital after thirty years will encourage the Arabs to push for a divided city, thus threatening the peace process at some future date. By relocating our embassy now, the United States would be heading off a possible stalemate later on.”
Gittelsohn also noted that President Anwar Sadat of Egypt evidenced no difficulty in making an official visit to Jerusalem last November. “When Egypt opens the first Arab embassy in Israel within the next few months, Mr. Sadat may be persuaded to locate it in Jerusalem–if the United States first establishes precedent.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
