Rusk Tells Jewish Leaders Basic U.S. Policy on Israel Unchanged

Secretary of State Dean Rusk assured American Jewish leaders today that basic American policy toward Israel remains unchanged. Mr. Rusk conferred for 80 minutes with a delegation representing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations which called on him to express concern over the State Department’s alleged “one-sided” reaction to Israel’s retaliatory raid on Beirut Airport Dec. 28.

The delegation expressed the view that the State Department had “over-reacted” in its criticism of Israel for the raid “which gave rise to widespread fears of an erosion of America’s positive position toward Israel.” They said another concern was that “the United States might be moving toward a collaboration with the Soviet Union in the latter’s attempt to force an imposed solution, short of peace and prejudicial to the security and survival of Israel.”

On emerging from the meeting, the delegation issued a statement saying that it was “assured” by Mr. Rusk that “the policy of the U.S. Government has not changed in any respect from the clear five point program announced by President Johnson on June 19, 1967, and which was later embodied in the United Nations resolution of Nov. 22, 1967.” The State Department declined to comment on the meeting but indicated that Mr. Rusk would hold a press conference tomorrow where he might be questioned on Mideast policies.

The delegation was headed by Rabbi Herschel Schacter, chairman of the Presidents’ conference “and included Jordan C. Band, chairman of the National Community Relations Advisory Council; Irving Kane, chairman of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee; Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld, president of the American Jewish Congress and Rabbi Zev Segal, president of the Rabbinical Council of America Eugene V.Rostow, Undersecretary of State for political affairs, participated.