Vice President Johnson Says United States Government Will Work for Peace in Middle East

Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his first public address since he was sworn into the second highest office of the land, tonight said that the Kennedy Administration “will work for peace in the Middle East as it works for progress in Africa, for social justice in Latin America, for freedom in Asia, for strength and accord in Europe, and for a climate of mutual trust with the Soviet Union.” He expressed hope for a reduction of the “costly burdens of arms” in the Middle East and lauded Israel’s peaceful development achievements.

The Vice President spoke at the 53rd annual dinner of Bnai Zion, a fraternal Zionist order, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. More than 1,500 guests, each paying $75 a plate, attended the dinner. The proceeds will go to the planting of a forest in Israel bearing the name of Mr. Johnson in recognition to his furtherance of American-Israel friendship. Vice President Johnson was also presented with a citation.

Declaring that”modern Israel is aware of the pursuits of peace, ” Mr. Johnson said: “Israel understands that development depends upon basic resources of human talent, and its institutions are invigorated by eager students, not coming from many lands.”He praised Israel’s”dedication, hard work, the nourishment of talent, and the extension of knowledge” as qualities that were “weapons of peace around the world.” He lauded the role played by the Bnai Zion and the Jewish National Fund in Israel’s success.

AMBASSADOR HARMAN LAUDS COOPERATION OF U.S. JEWS WITH ISRAEL

Israel Ambassador Avraham Harman, addressing the dinner, paid tribute to Vice President Johnson and the United States Government. “The Vice President’s concern in the development of material resources and their dedication to human welfare was known throughout the world and it was appropriate that his name would be perpetuated in a growing forest in the Holy Land,” he stated. Referring to the Jewish Community in the U.S. which he described as”one of the most encouraging and positive phenomena in modern Jewish history, ” Ambassador Harman said:

“I would take this opportunity of expressing the gratification of the Government and people of Israel at the fruitful cooperation that there has been between Israel and the Jewish communities of the United States in the past 13 years. There are and can be no political relations between us. We are citizens of Israel and you are citizens of the United States. We owe undivided loyalty to our country as you are characterized by undivided loyalty to yours.

“Our respective governments have cooperated closely in the international arena because they share a deeply rooted common faith in human and national freedom and in international order and cooperation. Between our citizens, however, who are predominantly Jewish, and the Jews of the United States of America the areas of cooperation have thus not been political. Nothing that is said on this subject could possibly be interpreted to mean that anyone has a political involvement in Israel except for citizens of Israel.

“Our respective governments have cooperated closely in the international arena because they share a deeply rooted common faith in human and national freedom and in international order and cooperation. Between our citizens, however, who are predominantly Jewish, and the Jews of the United States of America the areas of cooperation have thus not been political. Nothing that is said on this subject could possibly be interpreted to mean that anyone has a political involvement in Israel except for citizens of Israel.

“Our respective citizens have cooperated primarily in bringing aid and dignity to Jewish refugees. Of 1,300,000 Jewish refugees who found permanent homes in lands of freedom since the end of World War II, 1,000,000 have been able to come to Israel. This has been a great achievement which is largely due to the cooperation between our two communities. There has been an equally fruitful cooperation in cultural and spiritual areas of mutual concern.”

President Kennedy sent a message to the dinner in which he praised B’nai Zion and cited as the “finest example” of its work its “participation in the afforestation of the Holy Land.” Speakers at the dinner also included Congressmen Abraham J. Multer and Emanuel Celler, Mayor Robert F. wagner, Dr. Harris J. Levine, honorary president of the United Jewish National Fund of America, and Hyman F. Fliegel, president of Bnai Zion.