Washington Deletes Hadassah from Foreign Aid; Rejects Request

The Administration has refused a request by Hadassah for inclusion in a section of the foreign assistance bill that has provided massive aid to comparable institutions in Arab states. Hadassah sought $1, 000, 000 in Israeli pounds from counterpart funds for Hadassah hospital, medical and nursing schools and other services. Last year, a prior Hadassah request was rejected on grounds that it had been filed too late. This year no excuse was offered.

The Administration this year increased the program, under Section 214 of the Foreign Aid Law covering grants to American-supported hospitals and schools abroad. The new request was for $11,200,000. Last year, only $7,000,000 was asked. Nevertheless, the Administration did not see fit to include Hadassah — a fact that disturbed leaders aware of the enormous benefits given the American universities of Beirut and Cairo under this same program.

From 1959 to 1966, the American University of Beirut received over $33,000,000 in dollars;in the same period, the American University of Cairo was given $4,800,000 in dollars and local currency. Hadassah will ask Congress to amend the bill to include the aid omitted by the Administration, it was learned.

Rep. Seymour Halpern, ranking minority member of a House subcommittee on international finance, said: “The deletion of Hadassah from foreign aid benefits is inexcusable, and I shall offer an amendment to assure the participation of this outstanding humanitarian organization. It is ironic that a propaganda center like the American University of Beirut has received over $33,000,000 under this program, while the Hadassah medical organization, which treats and instructs Jew and Arab alike, is refused a single dollar.”