The Middle East plank of the Republican platform was considered by political observers here as being worded in a cautious way aimed to avoid any embarrassment to the present administration and its policies. A similar trend can be detected in other planks which do not meet Vice President Nixon’s views on record or the statements by Mr. Nixon and Mr. Rockefeller – in cases where these statements tend to differ from the policies of the administration.
It was also pointed cut the Middle East plank, along with other foreign policy planks, was framed in close cooperation with State Department officials who were dispatched to Chicago for this purpose. Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations, William B, Macomber heads the team.
The Middle East plank touches on all the major issues of concern to Israel and other Middle Eastern countries and no attempt was made to disregard them. However, the wording is much less specific than it was in the Republican plank four years ago and much less specific than the recently adopted Middle East plank in the Democratic platform. It does not pledge continued economic aid but the platform pledges continued foreign aid in its general part.
It was also pointed out that while the plank is concerned with the arms race in the Middle East it does not pledge, as the plank of the Democrats, to try to remedy the imbalance of arms in the area which was created by Soviet shipments to Arab countries. Similarly, the Republican plank promises to work for and of “transit and trade restrictions” but does not mention the Suez Canal by name.
Other problems affecting the area are treated in the same way. Reference is made to the refugee problem and an effort to find an “equitable solution” is pledged – but there is no specification of what might constitute such a solution, while the Democratic plank states frankly that it would be the resettlement of refugees in countries “where there is room and opportunity.” The Republican plank also omits the call for direct talks between Israel and the Arab states which was incorporated in the rival party’s plank.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
