Rep. Benjamin S. Rosenthal (D.NY) contrasting the American and Soviet positions towards the nations of the Middle East, believes that Moscow should end its current state of hostility towards Israel, and re-establish diplomatic relations with her. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, he said, “has opened a dialogue with the Arabs which is more that the Soviets have even attempted with Israel. If the Soviet Union is to be a guarantor of any settlement she cannot expect any trust or status if she continues to refuse to maintain normal diplomatic relations with Israel.”
Rosenthal, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, observed in a speech Jan. 13 at the Holliswood Jewish Center in Jamaica, N.Y., that “Israel, for her part, should be able to deal with both superpowers, especially in these days of big power diplomacy.”
Separation of Egyptian and Israeli forces along the Suez will “significantly lessen the chances” for renewed fighting between the two countries, he said, and enable Israel to protect herself better if Syria should resume hostilities. Despite hopes for immediate disengagement along the Suez, Rosenthal cautioned, “There is no significant evidence that Arab states are willing to make meaningful concessions.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
