Premier Menachem Begin of Israel yesterday called upon the American government’s “sense of decency and fairness” in a direct appeal for recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State.
He said that “the United States failure to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital represents a paradox… a distortion…” He challenged those who still call Israel’s reconstruction of Jerusalem an occupation and pointed out that when the Jordanians occupied East Jerusalem in 1948, they never permitted Jews to pray at the Western Wall and “for 19 years we could not go to the Holy Wall to pray.”
The Israeli leader addressed an overflow audience of 1500 assembled guests at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, at which a record sale of $20 million in Israel Bonds was purchased in honor of William Weinberg, Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist.
Begin, rejecting those who assert that “Israel’s reconstruction was still an occupation,” cited Israel’s help in rebuilding the Jewish Quarter, synagogues and other parts of the city which had been destroyed by the Jordanians. In addressing himself to the challenge that Israel would face after the final signing of a peace treaty with Egypt, Begin called on the Israel Bond leaders to “assist in the tremendous task which lies ahead in new development construction, and the redeployment of both the military and civilians from the Sinai.”
The Premier, in reviewing recent events, emphasized that “the first article of the pending peace treaty with Egypt clearly stresses that a state of war has been terminated between the two nations and that for the first time in 31 years, a state of war no longer exists.”
In urging recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city, Begin cited from Scripture and history to point out that Jerusalem had been named the capital of the ancient State of Israel by King David more than 3000 years ago. He declared that if the United States recognized Jerusalem as his nation’s capital, other nations would follow suit. “Jerusalem,” he said, “is not only the capital of King David. It is a great cultural and historical center not only for the Jewish people but is the capital for all humanity.”
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.
