The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith has called on the Reagan Administration and members of Congress to make clear in trade discussions with the Japanese that their adherence to the Arab economic boycott against Israel “puts in question their claims of being the champions of free trade.”
In a resolution passed during the ADL’s national commission meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel here earlier this month, ADL also called on the Japanese government “to speak out forthrightly” against Japanese business participation in anti-Israel trade policies.
The resolution noted that Japan has been among the staunchest supporters of the Arab boycott against Israel of the major industrialized states and that the Japanese government has not only done nothing to oppose the boycott but has tacitly shown support for Japanese companies adhering to it.
The resolution was introduced by Kenneth Bialkin, ADL’s outgoing national chairman. Bialkin said that Israel-Japan trade “is dramatically below what could be expected between the two nations.” The ADL resolution further pointed out that the United States government has a clear policy of disapproval of boycott activity against friendly nations such as Israel.
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