Council for Judaism Urges Democrats Not to Seek Support on Basis of Ties to Israel

The American Council for Judaism urged a Democratic Party National Platform Committee today not to seek support from American Jews “solely on the basis of their supposed partisanship for the State of Israel’ and called for the registration of the Zionist Organization as a foreign agent. The statement was made at the platform committee hearings by Richard Korn, of New York City, president of the American Council for Judaism, an anti-Zionist organization.

Mr. Korn contended that the “assumption that a Jewish citizen of the United States has an automatic political link with any foreign country is…false in fact and offensive in content.” He urged the committee to adopt policies in the Middle East conflict which “best serve the interests of the U.S.” and alleged that in the past, American policy in the Middle East had capitulated to “Zionist pressures” and has resulted in Zionist interests being promoted instead of American national interests.

Mr. Korn said the U.S. Government must distinguish between Zionist political activities on behalf of Israel and “political activities of Americans conducted on their own behalf.” To accomplish this, he said, the Government should enforce the Foreign Agents Registration Act “with impartiality to the non-diplomatic foreign agents of…Israel, the Zionist Organization, and the various Arab states.” He said that U.S. citizens would then be aware of such foreign agents and could “appraise their statements and actions in light of their associations and activities.” Mr. Korn said that “there may well be particular instances in which the U.S. should support Zionist and Israeli causes” but they should be supported because of U.S. national interests and for no other reasons. Mr. Korn was thanked for appearing, as most members of the subcommittee applauded his testimony. He was asked no questions.