A resolution calling on the United States Government to suspend shipments of arms to the Arab states until the latter have given unequivocal assurance of their readiness to join in the common defense against Communist aggression, and have accepted Israel’s offer to enter into a series of non-aggression pacts, was adopted here today by the executive committee of the American Jewish Congress. The resolution also urged that Egypt be required to guarantee full freedom of passage through the Suez Canal for all shipping to and from Israel.
“Unless these conditions are established,” the resolution asserted, “the real consequences of our present Middle Eastern policy will be seriously to weaken Israel without adding anything whatever to American security. We shall be supplying arms to countries without any assurance that they will join us in the common defense of freedom. We shall be arming states without any guarantee that they will not attack one of our firm and unwavering friends. And we shall continue to dishearten and discourage the people of Israel. Such a policy is consistent neither with enlightened American self-interest, the stability of the Middle East and our traditional friendship with Israel and its peoples.”
Dr. Israel Goldstein, president of the American Jewish Congress, charged at a meeting of the executive committee that three productive decades of bipartisanship on Middle Eastern policy are being seriously threatened by the effort of the Republican Administration to win Arab friendship at all costs and particularly by the program of arms shipments to Arab States. Shad Polier, committee chairman, presided at the meeting.
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