$1,750,000 Reported Spent Last Year in U.S. on Anti-israel Propaganda

Arab and anti-Israel propaganda agencies in the United States have spent a total of $1,750,000 during the past year to finance propaganda against Israel among all segments of the American people, including university campuses, it was reported here today by Rabbi Philip S. Bernstein, chairman of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. He spoke at the annual installation rally of Bnai Zion, American fraternal Zionist order, held at the New York Hilton Hotel.

In contrast to this expenditure, Rabbi Bernstein emphasized, the sum of only $146,000 was spent by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee to disseminate factual information on events in Israel and the Middle East. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., conducts public action aimed at maintaining and improving friendship and goodwill between the U.S. and Israel, he said.

In a breakdown of expenditures in the past year by Arab and anti-Israel agencies in this country, Rabbi Bernstein, a former advisor on Jewish affairs to the U. S. Army Commanders in Europe, reported that a minimum of $186,000 was spent by the Arab Information Centers with regional offices all over the country, which provides lectures to service organizations, women’s clubs and church forums; over $1,000,000–tax exempt–was spent by the pro-Arab American Friends of the Middle East in Washington. This group works in business circles and also provides Arab students for indoctrination in the colleges and universities of the land; over $25,000 was spent by the so-called Palestine Arab Delegation that functions chiefly at the United Nations. In addition, Rabbi Bernstein listed the anti-Zionist American Council for Judaism, which spent, last year, over $350,000.

The meeting marked the installation of Edward Sharf as newly elected president of Bnai Zion, as well as other national officers and members of the administrative committee and executive board. The installation ceremonies were presided over by the outgoing president Norman G. Levine. State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Markewich presided.

In his address, Rabbi Bernstein warned that American Jewry is “in a race between assimilation and meaningful survival.” He emphasized that “Jewish cultural survival is important not only to Jews but to mankind.”