Ten Senators appealed today to Secretary of State Dean Rusk to instruct the U.S. delegation to the United Nations to take “a position in favor of direct peace negotiations between Israel and the Arab states.”
The request was made in a letter signed by nine Republicans and one Democrat and was timed to coincide with the opening of the United Nations Security Council debate on the Israel-Syrian border clashes. The letter pointed out that an “Arab-Israel peace has been stated often as a fundamental goal of American policy.” It pointed out that this same principle was adopted by both major political parties in 1960 as campaign platform planks.
The letter rapped ” Arab leaders” who “consistently oppose” a plan of direct negotiations “because they refuse to take any action that would seem to recognize the state of Israel.” It pointed out, at the same time, that Israel has repeatedly expressed its willingness to participate in such talks. Middle East peace, said the letter, “is clearly in the interest of all people in that important part of the world.”
The letter was signed by Republican Senators Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania, who organized the group, Jacob Javits and Kenneth Keating of New York, Leverett Salstonstall of Massachusetts, Prescott Bush of Connecticut, Thruston Morton of Kentucky, Clifford Case of New Jersey and Winston Prouty of Vermont. The lone Democrat was Harrison A. Williams of New Jersey.
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