Presidents of the 17 major American Zionist and non-Zionist organizations affiliated with the “Presidents Club, ” suggested today that “political stability in the Middle East” was possible through the effective implementation of President Eisenhower’s pledges to Israel. The statement was issued as reports reached this country of efforts by pro-Egyptian elements in Gaza to restore Egyptian rule to that territory. The text of the Jewish leaders’ statement reads:
“Peace in the Middle East is a paramount Objective of the free world. We believe that the American people wholeheartedly share the view expressed by President Eisenhower that ‘there should be a united effort by all of the nations to bring about conditions in the area more stable, more tranquil and more conducive to the general welfare than those which existed before. ‘
We are confident that the American people welcomed and support the assurances which President Eisenhower gave on March 2 to Israel and which encouraged Israel to withdraw her forces from the Gaza Strip and the Gulf of Akaba area. These assurances, effectively implemented as safeguards to prevent a reversion to past tensions and frictions, can contribute to the advancement of political stability and economic growth in the entire region.
“Our Government as a leader in the United Nation, and of the free world has assumed, in this regard, along with other governments, high moral commitments and responsibilities to persist with all possible measures in bringing about an end to belligerency and promoting a durable peace in the Middle East.”
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.
