The Republican National Convention unanimously adopted late night a platform plank which includes a pledge “to support the independence of Israel against armed aggression,” but avoids any mention of supplying American defensive arms to Israel needed to balance the arms obtained by Egypt from Communist countries.
The adopted plank put the Republican Party under obligation to “support a policy of impartial friendship for the peoples of the Arab states and Israel to promote a peaceful settlement of the causes of tension in that area, including the human problem of the Palestine-Arab refugees.” At the same time, the plank emphasizes that the Republican Party “regards the preservation of Israel as an important tenet of American foreign policy” and is “determined that the integrity of an independent Jewish state shall be maintained.”
Strong objection to the phrase “Jewish state” used in the Republican platform plank was voiced by the American Council for Judaism in a telegram sent to the platform committee. However, the objection was ignored. The Council maintained that the term “Jewish state” implies the national attachment of all Jews to the State of Israel.
CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN URGES GIVING ARMS TO ISRAEL
Senator Thomas H. Kuchel, California Republican, said today that the United States and her allies should sell defensive arms to Israel as a matter of self-interest. “I believe that helping prepare Israel for her defense will discourage the aggressive use by Egypt of the armament supplied it by Communist supporters,” he declares.
Sen. Kuchel said he was one of the signers of a resolution, passed unanimously by the Senate, aimed at discrimination by some Arab nations against both American civilians and military personnel because of religious affiliations. He pointed out that Secretary of State Dulles subsequently announced the State Department will seek to end such discrimination by diplomatic action.
“I am convinced that the interest of the United States lies in the preservation of the State of Israel,” Sen. Kuchel continues. “Nasser of Egypt aspires to be leader of the Arab world. He has definitely taken his place with Soviet Russia and its Communist satellites. He has accepted vast quantities of arms… the paraphernalia of active and aggressive warfare, from Communist sources.”
Under Nasser’s declaration of principles, “which vilify the United States, threaten this country’s interests and defy appeasement we are bound to, and will, protect this small nation from attack,” Sen. Kuchel said, “I feel further that making Israel strong defensively will prevent such an attack upon her and will lessen the hazards of another global war. For that reason, and in our own interest, I urge that we sell defensive arms to Israel and encourage our allies to do likewise.”
NIXON REBUKES CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST CRUSADE LEADER
An attempt by Gerald L. K. Smith, head of the extremist Christian Nationalist Crusade, to attach himself to the candidacy of Vice President Richard Nixon, was rebuffed by Mr. Nixon in a statement issued here. “There is no place in the Republican Party for the race baiting merchandisers of hate like Gerald L. K. Smith,” the Vice President declared.
“Generally, what Mr. Gerald L. K. Smith says should never be dignified by comment. In this instance, however, I think it is clearly necessary to depart from the rule,” Mr. Nixon said. “As I stated unequivocally when I ran for the Senate in 1950. There is no place in the Republican Party for the race baiting merchandisers of hate like Gerald L. K. Smith. “I have been complimented by the fact that his publication, the Christian Nationalist Crusade, has on several occasions attacked me because of my work in behalf of President Eisenhower’s program for guaranteeing equality of opportunity for all Americans.
“I am proud of the fact that our Republican platform speaks out so clearly and unequivocally on this great issue that Mr. Smith and those who share his views will take no comfort whatever from it,” Vice President Nixon concluded.
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