Security guarantees contained in the Dulles Near East policy statement should precede, rather than follow Arab-Israel agreement on boundaries and other matters, the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs said today. The committee pointed out that otherwise an Arab refusal to negotiate with Israel would veto the entire Dulles plan The committee voiced approval of the “basic objectives” of the Dulles plan but warned that it raised some serious questions.
Rabbi Philip S Bernstein chairman of the Zionist group which speaks on behalf of the entire Zionist movement in the United States on matters affecting American-Israel relations said that “the security guarantees need not wait upon the attainment of agreement between the Arab States and Israel. They can be effected early and directly for they are in themselves the most effective means to bring stability and agreement to the area. A mutual defense agreement between the United States and Israel would help to convince the Arab States that Israel is here to stay On the other hand Israel which is completely committed to the West has much to contribute to a mutual defense program in the Near East.
References by the Secretary of State to settlement of boundaries raised another question. Rabbi Bernstein noted. He said that the most effective solution of the boundary problem “would be guarantee the current armistice lines with the understanding that if the parties later agreed on new boundaries the guarantees would be applied to them.”
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