American Jewish Congress Informed of U.S. Interest in Egyptian Jews

Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., permanent United States representative at the United Nations, has informed the American Jewish Congress that he shares its concern about reports of the plight of the Jews in Egypt. In a letter to Dr. Israel Goldstein, AJC president, Ambassador Lodge said that the State Department “will keep this matter under active surveillance.”

Ambassador Lodge’s letter, which was dated December 27, was in reply to a telegram sent to the U.S. delegation to the United Nations, expressing concern over continuing reports that “the Nasser Government is pursuing a program of depriving Jews of likelihood, despoiling their property and forcing their departure from a land where they have dwelt for centuries.”

In his reply to the telegram, Ambassador Lodge declared: “The Department of State has been seeking to obtain on a continuing basis an accurate picture of the situation in Egypt in the light of the many conflicting assertions in the matter. Abnormal circumstances arising from the hostilities there have made complete reporting of such events very difficult.”

“Nevertheless,” Ambassador Lodge’s letter continued, “the United States Ambassador in Cairo has brought to the attention of the Government of Egypt the deep concern of the United States Government over the reports. Pending further clarification of the actual situation with respect to the treatment of Jews in Egypt, the Department will keep this matter under active surveillance with a view to determining any further steps which might be helpful in the circumstances.”

Ambassador Lodge called attention to the fact that, on December 21, the United States made a statement “expressing its concern from the rostrum of the General Assembly, in order to put us on record before the world body as abhorring such practices as have been alleged.”