More Jewish and non-Jewish leaders issued statements expressing shock and dismay at the Lydda Airport killings. The lay and rabbinic heads of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations petitioned President Nixon, Pope Paul VI and United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim to use their good offices to put an end to acts of killing and terrorism.
In a telegram, Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath, president of the UAHC and Sidney I. Cole, chairman of the board, said, “We wish to express our concern, shock and dismay at the cowardly act perpetrated by international murderers against innocent men, women and children. We are particularly disturbed that those who came to seek spiritual nourishment in the land of the Bible, the Christian pilgrims, should be among the victims….Had we acted in unison before, this might never have occurred. We urge you to use your moral persuasion upon those leaders who can put an end to these wanton acts.”
Sol S. Weiner, general campaign chairman of the Jewish United Fund and the Israel Emergency Fund of Chicago; Raymond Epstein, chairman of the board; Hamilton M. Loeb, Jr., president; and James P. Rice, executive director, sent a telegram to Premier Golda Meir expressing their sorrow. “We share the sense of loss and extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the innocent victims of this inhuman attack.”
Congressman Hugh L. Carey (D.N.Y.) said, “The tragic and brutal killing of innocent travelers is a crime against humanity. I have communicated to Prime Minister Golda Meir my deep sympathy at this despicable crime.” Carey urged President Nixon and the director of the Federal Aviation Agency to initiate steps “to improve security for travelers on the basis of international technical and law enforcement assistance.” He also called for a conference led by the US with representatives of all nations involved in international air traffic “to adopt all necessary steps and implement an international airport security agreement as soon as possible.”
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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.
