The American Jewish Committee came out today with a strong appeal to various non-Jewish groups in this country urging them to demand from the State Department to abandon its submissive attitude toward the Arab boycott against American Jews and American firms trading with Israel.
“Public opinion can demand that U.S. foreign policy be extricated from the quicksands of concession to bluster and affront, and restored to the rock of self-respect, ” the appeal said. The AJC call followed a protest submitted by the organization last month to Secretary of State Dean Rusk charging the U. S. Government with “accommodating” itself to the Arab discriminations against American citizens.
Citing a State Department declaration that the Department “gives full consideration to all communications from private American groups with respect to problems affecting the conduct of United States foreign relations, ” the American Jewish Committee emphasized in its appeal that “this hospitality to the views of private citizen groups” gives the opportunity to leaders of such groups to address themselves to those aspects of the Arab boycott which are of particular concern to their members.
CALL DIRECTED TO BUSINESS GROUPS, LABOR UNIONS, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
“Business, industrial and trade organizations”, the appeal points out, “can urge that Government departments and agencies, and United States representatives abroad, henceforth refuse to cooperate with, or facilitate, those activities of Arab League nations which interfere with freedom of action on the part of American companies in establishing, maintaining and extending commercial relations abroad. Business and industrial firms can themselves reject threats of boycott or blacklisting.
“Labor unions, which have a substantial stake in frustrating the boycott, can continue to express the views already voiced by several spokesmen of the labor movement, emphasizing the need for immediate action to uphold the principles enunciated by the State Department in its official statement of May 6, 1960. to the President of the AFL-CIO.
“Religious, patriotic and civic organizations can articulate their opposition to our Government’s seeming toleration of Arab League activities which infringe upon American sovereignty and invade the rights of American citizens.
“The mass media can interpret to newspaper and magazine readers, and radio and television audiences, the nature and significance of the Arab boycott, exposing it in its full light as an arrogant effort to dictate to the American business and industrial community under what conditions and with whom commerce and trade may be conducted in foreign countries.
“Veterans organizations can demand that the Armed Forces terminate their accommodation to Arab discrimination against American servicemen and henceforth refuse to make religious distinctions in the assignment of military and civilian personnel to United States establishments anywhere in the world.
“All citizen groups can urge that Congress re-examine its foreign aid policy, with particular reference to expenditures for grants and loans to those Arab League nations which discriminate among American citizens and boycott American business and industry.”
DEMANDS TO GOVERNMENT LISTED; UNCOMPROMISING U.S. STAND REQUESTED
The American Jewish Committee then goes on to stress that “all groups can call upon our Government to suit its action to its word” and to insist that:
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