Goodell Assails Arab Extremists; Jewish Group Calls Rogers’ Policy a Munich Trap

Sen. Charles Goodell, a New York Republican, today assailed “Arab extremists” and “the short-sighted men in Moscow and Paris who are encouraging Arab belligerence.” Sen. Goodell addressed the New York Chapter of the American Jewish Committee. Mr. Goodell also criticized the Middle East proposals made last Dec. 9 by Secretary of State William P. Rogers. He called them “a prescription not for peace but for further aggravation of tensions.” He expressed “gratification” however with some of President Richard M. Nixon’s recent statements on the Mideast, especially one made to Jewish leaders on Jan. 25 pledging to send Israel the military equipment necessary to defend its security. “The acid test of the Administration’s intentions is whether or not it follows through on that promise,” Sen. Goodell declared.

Meanwhile, the Free Sons of Israel, has called upon the State Department to abandon its Mid-East proposals and “fulfill the will of the majority of Congress…to effectuate direct negotiations between Israel and the Arab States.” It charged the proposals were a Munich appeasement trap, veiling an intent to impose a truce upon Israel, which will “lead to another war.” Louis Norris, Grand Master of the Order, stated that now that the “waters muddled by the Pompidou visit have settled,” the United States should go back to pursue the basic principle of achieving a viable peace in the Mid-East. That principle, he said, is direct peace talks between the combatant states, Israel and the Arabs. In a strong letter of protest to Secretary of State Rogers, the 121 year-old fraternal organization also suggested that an impartially supervised referendum be held among the Arab people on the issue of direct negotiations. “The world should not be mislead by the poisonous propaganda of the Arab agitators,” the protest read. “The Arab people yearn for peace as do the people of Israel. They are heartsick of the tragic and meaningless struggle. They desire reconciliation with Israel.” The protest letter was signed by Mr. Norris and Jack E. Levine, counsel of the Free Sons of Israel. Copies were sent to President Nixon, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Yost, and to individual legislators. It assailed the policy of the State Department of “playing the phony international game of “truce.'” It said: “A truce is no substitute for peace. On the contrary, it is a political device to protract hostilities, while tensions, subversions, sabotage, guerrilla warfare and reprisals escalate. Witness Berlin, Korea, Laos. There was also a truce in Vietnam.”