The Jewish War Veterans of the United States, concluding its 70th annual national convention here today, warned, in a policy statement, that the Kashmir, Chinese-Indian and other border disputes provided new evidence that United States policy commitments to guarantee the Arab-Israel borders are “imperative.”
The statement said: “The United States has made a number of statements pertaining to the Arab-Israel frontier. President Johnson has re-enforced the commitments of President Kennedy. These policies remain general and unimplemented. The temptation is open to Arab extremists and partisans of Red Chinese-fomented chaos to escalate the border conflicts now raging in Asia into the Middle East.”
“A precise and firm United States policy, fully implemented on lower governmental levels, is essential, especially in view of Egyptian President Nasser’s very recent visit to Moscow, where he entered into new commitments to Soviet strategies and arranged to introduce massive new shipments of Russian tanks and jets into the existing Arab-Israel tension.
“Clarity and firmness now can prevent bloodshed and chaos later. There is also a need for the United States to carefully re-examine our shipments of United States arms to Arab states in the absence of any effectual guarantees that such arms will not be used against Israel as United States arms were used by Pakistan against India.
“The Jewish War Veterans will carefully observe developments and press for consideration of its views on the highest level of government,” the statement pledged.
At one of the weekend sessions, Rep. Ogden R. Reid, New York Republican, who was formerly U.S. Ambassador to Israel, told the veterans that the United States must display “new initiatives to build peace in the Near East while there is still time.” He said American approaches should include new contacts with countries in the area, and should not preclude talks with the Soviet Union. He declared that continued Soviet intervention in the Near East, and Russian arms shipments to Arab states indicate the need for “firm talks” with Moscow.
Warning that the Jordan River water issue may escalate into a chain reaction of friction, Rep. Reid said: “An equitable solution to the sharing of Jordan River headwaters by the riparian states–based on the unified Eric Johnston plan of 1955–is essential if water is to be a force for peace and not a cause of war.”
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