Premier Menachem Begin of Israel urged American Jews to unite in support of Israel and urged that they show their solidarity with the Jewish State by helping mobilize American public opinion on behalf of his government’s proposed peace plan with the Arabs. “Go around, take our peace plan, make it known, ask for support,” Begin told some 700 Jewish leaders in a meeting convened by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Rabbi Alexander Schindler, chairman of the Presidents Conference, in a sharply worded emotional speech, expressed the unswerving support of American Jewry for Israel. “We uphold the hands of Israel’s leadership not only by preserving our unity but also by giving voice–strong, unfettered voice–to our convictions.” American Jewry, he declared, will not be “timid” and will face the Carter Administration “and we will speak the truth as we see it.”
Begin and Schindler addressed the Jewish leaders from across the country Thursday evening at the Waldorf Astoria. It was Begin’s last public appearance in this country before flying back to Israel after holding talks with President Carter in Washington. Grim and weary-looking, the Israeli leader described his meetings in Washington as “the most difficult days in may life.”
He said that his proposals, which had been received last December in on “atmosphere of understanding,” were not acceptable at this time. “The talks in the White House were difficult,” Begin said. “These are times of trial, these are times of difficulty.”
Begin said that the impression created in the U.S. is that Israel is “obstructing” the peace negotiations. “This allegation is morally wrong,” he declared, adding: “Israel promotes peace and makes sacrifices for peace. Israel never obstructed peace and never will. “He said Israel’s proposal for full Egyptian sovereignty in the Sinai and the plan to give autonomy to the West Bank Arabs were the furthest reaching concessions any Israeli government has ever made.
STATEMENT BY SCHINDLER
Schindler told the gathering that when “promises are broken we will say so. When we see a wrong we will call it a wrong wherever it is committed. When pressures are exerted on Israel we will say that pressures are exerted on Israel. When we sense that our country is selling out our idealism for petrodollars, we will say (so). Whatever the evil is, we will call it by its real name and not justify it on the basis that it is something else.”
Continuing, Schindler declared: “Away with the counsel of timidity. Away with the caution of cowardice. Away with those who would flatter themselves into the good graces of the powerful. Away with those who have no convictions. Away with those who would beg for good-will and toady for favor. Who are we? We are Americans with our roots deep in the soil of this land. We are also Jews.”
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