Rep. Seymour Halpern, a Republican from New York, accused Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman J. William Fulbright today of increasing the danger of war in the Middle East by remarks critical of Israel that he made in a speech to Yale University students April 4. The Arkansas Democrat accused Israel of resorting to “Communist-baiting humbuggery” in order to manipulate American policy in its interest. Halpern is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In a statement released by his office today, he said “The distinguished chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unwittingly or otherwise justified the Soviet-Arab position while denouncing Israel for opposing Communism and aggression.” According to Halpern, Fulbright’s remarks “tacitly encouraged the Arabs and their Soviet friends to desist from real peace and to continue their military build-up.” Halpern claimed that Fulbright thus “struck a blow at the credibility of America’s deterrent gap.”
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