Pro-israel Groups Unhappy with Rogers’ Statement; Javits Calls for Clear Statement

Pro-Israel groups were unhappy today over Secretary of State William P. Rogers’ failure to announce this morning that the U.S. would sell more jets to Israel. A spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee said, “Obviously all Americans want peace in the Middle East and one way to insure it is to see that Israel’s request for arms is filled.” There was virtually no public comment in Congressional circles on Mr. Rogers’ new Mideast peace initiative. The only details of the plan are contained in unconfirmed reports from abroad. But Sen. Jacob K. Javits said in a statement to the press today that the administration “may be putting the cart before the horse.” The New York Republican claimed that “unless and until Israel Is assured of receiving the military equipment It needs. It Is doubtful that the Soviet Union and the radical Arabs are likely to negotiate to any real purpose.” According to Sen. Javits, only a clear statement of military support for Israel will convince the Arabs that It Is in their interests to negotiate a peace settlement. Commenting on the reports that the Rogers’ plan envisions a temporary cease-fire and a demilitarized zone between Israeli and Egyptian forces along the Suez Canal, Mr. Javits warned that a cease-fire could be “used by the USSR and Egypt to gain a strategic advantage.” He said Israel would be taking a big chance in giving up some of the “strategically viable” area it won in the June, 1967 war and must be assured that it would not be to her disadvantage.

Some opinion-makers in the capital said privately that the new U.S. initiative might re-establish a dialogue between Israelis and Arabs. A leader of the organized Jewish community here who asked not to be Identified, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “Both sides are looking for a way out, and this might provide It. I’m not sure It will lead directly to peace, but It is a start.” Some foreign observers welcomed the new U.S. Initiative and were especially pleased that Mr. Rogers did not mention new Jet sales to Israel because it leaves room for flexibility on all sides. The heads of the rabbinic bodies of Reform and Conservative Judaism praised the new U.S. peace Initiative today but expressed regret that the government has failed to ser to provide further defensive military assistance to Israel and warned that the Soviet Union may be encouraged to increase Its military involvement in the region. The views were expressed in a telegram sent to President Richard M. Nixon and Secretary of State Rogers by Rabbi Ronald B. Gittelsohn, president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform) and Rabbi S. Gershon Levi, president of the Rabbinical Assembly of America (Conservative). The telegrams said, “We urge our government to state its Intentions publicly and unequivocally, to prevent any attempt by any power hostile to Israel to escalate the level of the conflict in the Middle East.”