‘presidents Conference’ Urges U.S. to Ask Germany to Send Arms to Israel

A decision to urge the Johnson Administration to persuade West Germany to restore the “fragile balance” in the Middle East by resuming arms deliveries to Israel was adopted at a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, a body composed of presidents of 20 leading Jewish groups in this country.

The announcement of the decision was made today by Dr. Jeachim Prinz, chairman of the Conference. He said there was unanimous agreement among the Jewish organizations that the Bonn regime’s action in cutting off military supplies to Israel constituted a grave threat to world peace. “We shall urge the United States to use its good offices to persuade West Germany to remain faithful to its commitments and to resist Egyptian threats motivated by a publicly declared intention to destroy Israel,” he declared. “Neither as Americans nor as Jews do we intend to remain silent witnesses to the unfolding of these events.”

The American Jewish leader voiced “bitter disappointment” at what he described as “the pervasive immorality of West Germany’s attempt to purchase diplomatic advantage by dealing in the security of Israel, a country established to give haven to those Jews who managed to survive the Hitler holocaust and for whose safety Germany must feel forever responsible. We hope the German government harbors no illusion that it has already provided sufficient proof of a new moral posture. This would be a tragic misreading of German responsibility after World War II.

“By surrendering to Nasser’s threats and halting arms shipments to Israel, West Germany has disavowed its solemn commitments, but despite this unilateral repudiation these commitments remain alive and binding.” Dr. Prinz stressed. He said it was ironic that West Germany’s “retreat from principle” bad served no purpose “other than to exacerbate world tensions.