ZOA Leaders Laud Nixon’s Mideast Statement and Ecc Trade Treaty with Israel

The National Executive Committee of the Zionist Organization of America adopted a resolution today approving and supporting President Nixon’s declaration on television last week that the United States would do all that is necessary to maintain Israel’s strength at a level which deters its neighbors from attacking. In another resolution adopted today, the ZOA leaders meeting here this weekend expressed satisfaction with the five-year preferential trade treaty adopted June 29 in Luxembourg between the European Common Marhet countries and Israel. Jacques Torczyner, ZOA president, told the delegates last night that “only a show of strength by the U.S. will prevent a disaster In the Middle East.” He added that “Israel does not need American advisors. It needs American Jets and weapons. They should be forthcoming immediately.” Praising President Nixon for his statement on the Middle East, Mr. Torczyner declared; “We and the people of Israel were greatly encouraged by President Nixon’s remarks.” The ZOA president added that “Israel has to stand firm against the provocations of the Russians and their Egyptian clients.” The American people, he continued, “have to strengthen the hands of the President of the U.S. and fight the forces of the State Department which have always opposed Israel at every turn.”

Mr. Torczyner noted that “the Russians think that with internal weakness in the U.S. the isolationist tendencies of the liberal and New Left forces will prevent the U.S. from asserting a strong position in the Middle East.” He asserted, “In the same way as the isolationist forces did not succeed in the late 1930’s, they will not succeed now.” The resolution on the Middle East, introduced by Herman L. Weisman, chairman of the ZOA administrative board, expressed “approval and support of President Richard M. Nixon’s announcement that it Is the policy of the U.S. to preserve world peace and American interests in the Near East by demanding that the Soviet Union halt its military buildup of Egypt along the Suez Canal and to strengthen U.S. timely and adequate aid to Israel to counteract Russia’s military assistance and collaboration with its client. Egypt.” The resolution on the five-year trade treaty applauded “the cooperation of the members of the European Common Market, notably France, to bring about this treaty for peaceful economic development of trade between Israel and the members of the European Common Market.” The agreement, effective Oct. 1, provides; for mutual tariff reductions by Israel and the six ECC countries.