Z.O.A. Leaders Criticize U.S. for Withholding Arms from Israel

The State Department policy of withholding arms from Israel while giving them to Arab countries was severely criticized by Mortimer May, president of the Zionist Organization of America, addressing the National Administrative Council, ZOA ruling body between conventions. “American Jews,” Mr. May said, have been perplexed by the attitude of our State Department.”

Dr. Emanuel Neumann, chairman of the ZOA executive committee, told the several hundred assembled ZOA leaders that “the Egyptian dictator, Colonel Nasser, has already fixed his zero hour for the coming assault in the summer.” He emphasized this warning by declaring that “Lassume full responsibility for saying this.” He further stressed that the dismissal of Lt. Gen John B. Glubb, the British head of the Jordan army, marks a further worsening of the crisis.

Dr. Harris J. Levine, chairman of the Council, voiced his conviction that unless the President of the United States personally takes a hand in the present Middle East crisis the Dulles’ policy will bring about a complete Soviet domination over a key area in the free world.” He appealed to President Eisenhower “to save America and the State of Israel from the impending calamity by affording American arms to Israel in substantial quantity and without delay.”

Harry Torczyner, chairman of the ZOA Commission on Israel and the Middle East, emphasized that “the interest of the United States today is identical with the interest of Israel.” He asserted that “what stands in the way of the recognition of this identity of interest is only the stubborn refusal of some people in the State Department to over come the bigotry and prejudice which has so clearly been characterized by President Truman in his memoirs.”