Mcgovern Says Nixon Backing of Israel Has Brief History

Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. George McGovern charged this afternoon that the Nixon administration’s commitment to Israel “is an instrument of power politics that began just this year when the Soviets began their military build-up in the Mediterranean.” McGovern was speaking before the Chicago Board of Rabbis here.

He said, “For three years the Nixon administration followed policies of refusing to supply arms and other support unless Israel withdrew from vital security areas. This policy exacerbated tensions in the Middle East, encouraged terrorist tendencies, and precipitated what the New York Times called ‘the most serious crisis in America-Israeli relations in history.'”

McGovern said that he had always called on Congress for direct negotiations between the parties to the conflict. He also warned that the Nixon administration “will go back to its policy of dealing with the oil sheiks and trying to impose big power solutions” as soon as the Russian threat in the Middle East subsides.

The entire youth movement of the World Union of General Zionists has merged into one group that will be known as Massada with headquarters in New York City. The merger brings together Israel Hatzira with branches in Europe and Latin America, and Massada in the USA. The merger was announced by Aryeh Even of the General Zionist Youth Committee at the first world convention in Tel Aviv of the United Massada. The merger had been in the planning stages for the past four years.