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American-Israel Public Affairs Committee Luncheon, Washington, DC, April 24, 1969
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American-Israel Public Affairs Committee Luncheon, Washington, DC, April 24, 1969
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The original documents are located in Box D26, folder "American-Israel Public Affairs
Committee Luncheon, Washington, DC, April 24, 1969" of the Ford Congressional Papers:
Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Distribution Full
Calleries 9:30 a.m. 4/24 Office Copy
air mail 12:30p.m. 4/24
100 capies Jewish aug, 9/23 (P.M.)
REMARKS
STATEMENT BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH.
REPUBLICAN LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AT THE AMERICAN-ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE LUNCHEON
IN ROOM B-339, RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON D.C.
12 NOON THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1969
FOR RELEASE AT 12 NOON THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1969
I firmly believe that the fate of Israel is linked to the national security
interests of the United States. I therefore cannot conceive of a situation in
which the U.S. Administration will sell Israel down the Nile.
Concern has been expressed that the Soviet Union and France may prevail
at the current Big Four talks on the Middle East. I can assure you that your
government will not permit this to happen. We are conscious of Soviet ambitions.
Israel may enter its 21st anniversary confident of its manhood. Israel's
record of achievement and courage makes the state worthy of that status. Israel
can feel certain that Americans are aware of her dedication to freedom and of the
basic affinity linking Israel with the United States.
I join with those who are concerned about overall Soviet designs on the
Middle East and Mediterranean. One need only follow the news reports of
Operation "Dawn Patrol," the NATO naval maneuvers now in progress in the
Mediterranean. We are aware of the unprecedented Soviet naval build-up in that
region. We know that the Russians are trying to exert pressures in the
Mediterranean at a time when we are preoccupied in the Far East.
Your government is not naive. Nor are the members of Congress. Let me
state one fact very simply and directly: Israel must not become another
Czechoslovakia.
I have no illusions about Soviet policy and the attempts by the Kremlin
to create a sphere of influence in the Middle East that would undermine vital
American security interests and threaten the entire southern flank of NATO. The
game being played by the Russians, exploiting Arab hostility against Israel, is
transparent.
It is my conviction that American policy will not seek to "impose" a
settlement as a result of the present Big Four Conference or outside the context
of such talks.
President Nixon has pledged that Israel's vital interests will be
preserved and that withdrawal can occur only by consent of the parties directly
(more)
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
Digitized from Box D26 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
-2-
concerned, based upon a contractual agreement establishing a peace involving
recognized, defensible, and just boundaries.
American participation in the Big Four Conference is consistent with
efforts to test the Soviet Union's professed desire to preserve peace and to avoid
a nuclear confrontation. But no accord will be purchased at the expense of
Israel. As I have said, we are well aware of Soviet aims and attitudes. We are
also mindful of the continuing brutal suppression of Czechoslovakia, as denounced
only last Friday by President Nixon.
The U.S. Government is aware that the Soviet-made MIG's that treacherously
attacked an unarmed U.S. reconnaissance plane in international airspace off the
Korean coast represented the same type of aircraft and weapons systems supplied
to the radical Arab states.
Our Government must therefore continue to maintain the military combat and
deterrent capacities of Israel through the earliest possible supply of Phantom
jets and other military hardware requirements. I am pleased to note that Israeli
air and ground crews to man the Phantoms are presently receiving special training
at a U.S. Air Force Base in California. The Phantoms will be ready for shipment
at a time coinciding with the completion of training -- a matter of months.
Many of the Phantoms will be in service in Israel before the end of 1969.
We appreciate Israel's isolated geographic position, surrounded as she
is by enemies. Her very life depends on airpower and civilian air links with
the free world. In this connection, one must note with regret that attacks on
unarmed aircraft have escalated worldwide from the hijacking of American
commercial airliners to Cuba, to attacks at various European airports on Israeli
airliners by Arab terrorists armed with Russian weapons, and now the criminal
attack by Communist North Korean MIG-21's on an unarmed American plane in
international airspace.
Are the Russians sincerely seeking a relaxation of tensions or have they
merely relegated their dirty work to the fanatics and fourth-rate despots of
the world?
We have heard the Kremlin profess great concern about Middle Eastern peace.
But we have watched them pour naval forces into the Mediterranean. We have heard
them demand American withdrawal. We have watched them build up the war potential
of radical and irresponsible Arab States that refuse to enter into real peace
negotiations with Israel.
(more)
-3-
Moscow is attempting to achieve indirectly what Communist and Arab
pressure have failed to accomplish by military pressure and threats. They have
sought to roll back the Israelis from the cease-fire lines of June, 1967, without
a meaningful peace settlement. Thus they would keep the sore open, restore
the intolerable situation that existed immediately before the outbreak of the
Six-Day War, and exploit any retreat by Israel and her friends to push further
against free world interests.
The Soviet Union has not clarified her policy to my satisfation. Indeed,
they seem to have a variety of policies, to suit their convenience. They have
one policy in the Middle East, another in Czechoslovakia, and yet another in North
Korea. In North Korea they help us one week to search for possible survivors of
the plane shot down by the MIG's they provided. Then, the very next week, they
protest because we send a Naval force to protect our reconnaissance flights and
our right to use international waters and airspace.
An assessment must be made at American-Soviet bilateral talks on the
Middle East and at the Big Four meetings. It is whether Moscow is sincere in
seeking a reduction of tensions or whether Russia is trying to exploit the fear
of war in hope of turning a complex situation to her advantage.
Not only the Soviet Union but also Communist China is fishing in the
troubled waters of the Middle East. Arab terrorists are being trained in Peking.
Chinese "button" mines, mortars, rockets, and other weapons used against U.S.
forces in Viet Nam have emerged in the Arab guerrilla assaults against Israel.
Arab guerilla leaders have openly proclaimed that they will reject any peace
settlement that might be reached by the Big Four or signed by King Hussein or
President Nasser.
Citing Chairman Mao of Communist China as their inspiration, the Arab
terrorists have proclaimed a so-called war of national liberation in the Middle
East. Their aim is the liquidation of Israel and all pro-western Arab regimes.
There is evidence that the leading Arab terrorist movement, E1 Fatah, is
working through Arab students at various American colleges and universities to
build up U.S. support for an Arab "national liberation front" similar to the
campus underground mobilized for the Viet Cong National Liberation Front. Indeed,
we now find that some Arabs here on student visas are working with the U.S.
Committee to Aid the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong); the youth arm of the
pro-Peking Workers World Party known as Youth Against War and Fascism, and its
(more)
-4-
front group, the Committee to Support Middle East Liberation.
Indications of the flow of trained agitators from the Middle East have
been revealed in contacts between the Arabs and the Black Panthers, the Students
for a Democratic Society (S.D.S.), and other anti-democratic groups.
Our nation already is beset by disruption at our institutions of higher
learning. We have no need of agitators from abroad.
I am confident that the Department of Justice will carefully examine the
activities of the estimated 10,000 Arab students in the United States to
ascertain possible violations of visa requirements. If they are abusing our
hospitality in an unlawful manner, there should be some immediate administrative
action.
We are painfully aware of how the Middle East conflict has already spilled
over to our shores in the case of the convicted murderer, Sirhan Sirhan. This
nation will not tolerate assassination and terrorism.
Let me reiterate that the Republican leadership of the House of
Representatives identifies with your concerns. We are committed to the growth
of Israel-American friendship. We share your aspirations for the preservation
of freedom and justice for all.
###
STATEMENT BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH.
REPUBLICAN LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AT THE AMERICAN-ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE LUNCHEON
IN ROOM B-339, RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON D.C.
12 NOON THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1969
FOR RELEASE AT 12 NOON THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1969
I firmly believe that the fate of Israel is linked to the national security
interests of the United States. I therefore cannot conceive of a situation in
which the U.S. Administration will sell Israel down the Nile.
Concern has been expressed that the Soviet Union and France may prevail
at the current Big Four talks on the Middle East. I can assure you that your
government will not permit this to happen. We are conscious of Soviet ambitions.
Israel may enter its 21st anniversary confident of its manhood. Israel's
record of achievement and courage makes the state worthy of that status. Israel
can feel certain that Americans are aware of her dedication to freedom and of the
basic affinity linking Israel with the United States.
I join with those who are concerned about overall Soviet designs on the
Middle East and Mediterranean. One need only follow the news reports of
Operation "Dawn Patrol," the NATO naval maneuvers now in progress in the
Mediterranean. We are aware of the unprecedented Soviet naval build-up in that
region. We know that the Russians are trying to exert pressures in the
Mediterranean at a time when we are preoccupied in the Far East.
Your government is not naive. Nor are the members of Congress. Let me
state one fact very simply and directly: Israel must not become another
Czechoslovakia.
I have no illusions about Soviet policy and the attempts by the Kremlin
to create a sphere of influence in the Middle East that would undermine vital
American security interests and threaten the entire southern flank of NATO. The
game being played by the Russians, exploiting Arab hostility against Israel, is
transparent.
It is my conviction that American policy will not seek to "impose" a
settlement as a result of the present Big Four Conference or outside the context
of such talks.
President Nixon has pledged that Israel's vital interests will be
preserved and that withdrawal can occur only by consent of the parties directly
(more)
-2-
concerned, based upon a contractual agreement establishing a peace involving
recognized, defensible, and just boundaries.
American participation in the Big Four Conference is consistent with
efforts to test the Soviet Union's professed desire to preserve peace and to avoid
a nuclear confrontation. But no accord will be purchased at the expense of
Israel. As I have said, we are well aware of Soviet aims and attitudes. We are
also mindful of the continuing brutal suppression of Czechoslovakia, as denounced
only last Friday by President Nixon.
The U.S. Government is aware that the Soviet-made MIG's that treacherously
attacked an unarmed U.S. reconnaissance plane in international airspace off the
Korean coast represented the same type of aircraft and weapons systems supplied
to the radical Arab states.
Our Government must therefore continue to maintain the military combat and
deterrent capacities of Israel through the earliest possible supply of Phantom
jets and other military hardware requirements. I am pleased to note that Israeli
air and ground crews to man the Phantoms are presently receiving special training
at a U.S. Air Force Base in California. The Phantoms will be ready for shipment
at a time coinciding with the completion of training -- a matter of months.
Many of the Phantoms will be in service in Israel before the end of 1969.
We appreciate Israel's isolated geographic position, surrounded as she
is by enemies. Her very life depends on airpower and civilian air links with
the free world. In this connection, one must note with regret that attacks on
unarmed aircraft have escalated worldwide from the hijacking of American
commercial airliners to Cuba, to attacks at various European airports on Israeli
airliners by Arab terrorists armed with Russian weapons, and now the criminal
attack by Communist North Korean MIG-21's on an unarmed American plane in
international airspace.
Are the Russians sincerely seeking a relaxation of tensions or have they
merely relegated their dirty work to the fanatics and fourth-rate despots of
the world?
We have heard the Kremlin profess great concern about Middle Eastern peace.
But we have watched them pour naval forces into the Mediterranean. We have heard
them demand American withdrawal. We have watched them build up the war potential
of radical and irresponsible Arab States that refuse to enter into real peace
negotiations with Israel.
(more)
-3-
Moscow is attempting to achieve indirectly what Communist and Arab
pressure have failed to accomplish by military pressure and threats. They have
sought to roll back the Israelis from the cease-fire lines of June, 1967, without
a meaningful peace settlement. Thus they would keep the sore open, restore
the intolerable situation that existed immediately before the outbreak of the
Six-Day War, and exploit any retreat by Israel and her friends to push further
against free world interests.
The Soviet Union has not clarified her policy to my satisfation. Indeed,
they seem to have a variety of policies, to suit their convenience. They have
one policy in the Middle East, another in Czechoslovakia, and yet another in North
Korea. In North Korea they help us one week to search for possible survivors of
the plane shot down by the MIG's they provided. Then, the very next week, they
protest because we send a Naval force to protect our reconnaissance flights and
our right to use international waters and airspace.
An assessment must be made at American-Soviet bilateral talks on the
Middle East and at the Big Four meetings. It is whether Moscow is sincere in
seeking a reduction of tensions or whether Russia is trying to exploit the fear
of war in hope of turning a complex situation to her advantage.
Not only the Soviet Union but also Communist China is fishing in the
troubled waters of the Middle East. Arab terrorists are being trained in Peking.
Chinese "button" mines, mortars, rockets, and other weapons used against U.S.
forces in Viet Nam have emerged in the Arab guerrilla assaults against Israel.
Arab guerilla leaders have openly proclaimed that they will reject any peace
settlement that might be reached by the Big Four or signed by King Hussein or
President Nasser.
Citing Chairman Mao of Communist China as their inspiration, the Arab
terrorists have proclaimed a so-called war of national liberation in the Middle
East. Their aim is the liquidation of Israel and all pro-western Arab regimes.
There is evidence that the leading Arab terrorist movement, E1 Fatah, is
working through Arab students at various American colleges and universities to
build up U.S. support for an Arab "national liberation front" similar to the
campus underground mobilized for the Viet Cong National Liberation Front. Indeed,
we now find that some Arabs here on student visas are working with the U.S.
Committee to Aid the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong); the youth arm of the
pro-Peking Workers World Party known as Youth Against War and Fascism, and its
(more)
-4-
front group, the Committee to Support Middle East Liberation.
Indications of the flow of trained agitators from the Middle East have
been revealed in contacts between the Arabs and the Black Panthers, the Students
for a Democratic Society (S.D.S.), and other anti-democratic groups.
Our nation already is beset by disruption at our institutions of higher
learning. We have no need of agitators from abroad.
I am confident that the Department of Justice will carefully examine the
activities of the estimated 10,000 Arab students in the United States to
ascertain possible violations of visa requirements. If they are abusing our
hospitality in an unlawful manner, there should be some immediate administrative
action.
We are painfully aware of how the Middle East conflict has already spilled
over to our shores in the case of the convicted murderer, Sirhan Sirhan. This
nation will not tolerate assassination and terrorism.
Let me reiterate that the Republican leadership of the House of
Representatives identifies with your concerns. We are committed to the growth
of Israel-American friendship. We share your aspirations for the preservation
of freedom and justice for all.
# # #
AMERICAN-ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMM. LUNCHEON
B-339, RHOB, 12 NOON, APRIL 24, 1969
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE FATE OF
ISRAEL IS LINKED TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY
INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. I THEREFORE
CANNOT CONCEIVE OF A SITUATION IN WHICH THE
U.S. ADMINISTRATION WILL SELL ISRAEL DOWN
THE NILE.
CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED THAT
THE SOVIET UNION AND FRANCE MAY PREVAIL AT
THE CURRENT BIG FOUR TALKS ON THE MIDDLE EAST.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT WILL
NOT PERMIT THIS TO HAPPEN. WE ARE CONSCIOUS
OF SOVIET AMBITIONS.
ISRAEL MAY ENTER ITS 21st
ANNIVERSARY CONFIDENT OF ITS MANHOOD. ISRAEL'S
RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT AND COURAGE MAKES THE
STATE WORTHY OF THAT STATUS. ISRAEL CAN
FEEL CERTAIN THAT AMERICANS ARE AWARE OF
HER DEDICATION TO FREEDOM AND OF THE BASIC
AFFINITY LINKING ISRAEL WITH THE U.S.
-2-
UNITED STATES.
I JOIN WITH THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT OVERALL SOVIET DESIGNS ON THE MIDDLE
EAST AND MEDITERRANEAN. ONE NEED ONLY
FOLLOW THE NEWS REPORTS OF OPERATION "DAWN
PATROL," THE NATO NAVAL MANEUVERS NOW IN
PROGRESS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. WE ARE AWARE
OF THE UNPRECEDENTED SOVIET NAVAL BUILD-UP
IN THAT REGION. WE KNOW THAT THE RUSSIANS
ARE TRYING TO EXERT PRESSURES IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE
PREOCCUPIED IN THE FAR EAST.
YOUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT NAIVE.
NOR ARE THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. LET ME
STATE ONE FACT VERY SIMPLY AND DIRECTLY:
ISRAEL MUST NOT BECOME ANOTHER CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT SOVIET
POLICY AND THE ATTEMPTS BY THE KREMLIN TO
CREATE A SPHERE OF INFLUENCE IN THE MIDDLE
EAST THAT WOULD UNDERMINE VITAL AMERICAN
-3-
SECURITY INTERESTS AND THREATEN THE ENTIRE
SOUTHERN FLANK OF NATO. THE GAME BEING
PLAYED BY THE RUSSIANS, EXPLOITING ARAB
HOSTILITY AGAINST ISRAEL, IS TRANSPARENT.
IT IS MY CONVICTION THAT AMERICAN
POLICY WILL NOT SEEK TO "IMPOSE" A SETTLEMENT
AS A RESULT OF THE PRESENT BIG FOUR
CONFERENCE OR OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF SUCH
TALKS.
PRESIDENT NIXON HAS PLEDGED THAT
ISRAEL'S VITAL INTERESTS WILL BE PRESERVED
AND THAT WITHDRAWAL CAN OCCUR ONLY BY
CONSENT OF THE PARTIES DIRECTLY CONCERNED,
BASED UPON A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING
A PEACE INVOLVING RECOGNIZED /DEFENSIBLE
AND JUST BOUNDARIES.
AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE
BIG FOUR CONFERENCE IS CONSISTENT WITH
EFFORTS TO TEST THE SOVIET UNION'S PROFESSED
DESIRE TO PRESERVE PEACE AND TO AVOID A
-4-
NUCLEAR CONFRONTATION. BUT NO ACCORD WILL
BE PURCHASED AT THE EXPENSE OF ISRAEL. AS
I HAVE SAID, WE ARE WELL AWARE OF SOVIET AIMS
AND ATTITUDES. WE ARE ALSO MINDFUL OF THE
CONTINUING BRUTAL SUPPRESSION OF
CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AS DENOUNCED ONLY LAST
FRIDAY BY PRESIDENT NIXON.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS AWARE
THAT THE SOVIET-MADE MIG'S THAT TREACHEROUSLY
ATTACKED AN UNARMED U.S. RECONNAISSANCE PLANE
IN INTERNATIONAL AIRSPACE OFF THE KOREAN
COAST REPRESENTED THE SAME TYPE OF AIRCRAFT
AND WEAPONS SYSTEMS SUPPLIED TO THE RADICAL
ARAB STATES.
THEREFORE
OUR GOVERNMENT MUSTACONTINUE TO
MAINTAIN THE MILITARY COMBAT AND DETERRENT
CAPACITIES OF ISRAEL THROUGH THE EARLIEST
POSSIBLE SUPPLY OF PHANTOM JETS AND OTHER
MILITARY HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS. I AM PLEASED
TO NOTE THAT ISRAELI AIR AND GROUND CREWS
-5-
TO MAN THE PHANTOMS ARE PRESENTLY RECEIVING
SPECIAL TRAINING AT A U.S. AIR FORCE BASE
IN CALIFORNIA. THE PHANTOMS WILL BE READY
FOR SHIPMENT AT A TIME COINCIDING WITH THE
COMPLETION OF TRAINING -- A MATTER OF MONTHS.
MANY OF THE PHANTOMS WILL BE IN SERVICE IN
ISRAEL BEFORE THE END OF 1969.
WE APPRECIATE ISRAEL'S ISOLATED
GEOGRAPHIC POSITION, SURROUNDED AS SHE IS
BY ENEMIES. HER VERY LIFE DEPENDS ON
AIRPOWER AND CIVILIAN AIR LINKS WITH THE
FREE WORLD. IN THIS CONNECTION, ONE MUST
NOTE WITH REGRET/THAT ATTACKS ON UNARMED
AIRCRAFT HAVE ESCALATED WORLDWIDE FROM THE
HIJACKING OF AMERICAN COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS
TO CUBA, TO ATTACKS AT VARIOUS EUROPEAN
AIRPORTS ON ISRAELI AIRLINERS BY ARAB
TERRORISTS ARMED WITH RUSSIAN WEAPONS, AND
NOW THE CRIMINAL ATTACK BY COMMUNIST NORTH
KOREAN MIG-21'S ON AN UNARMED AMERICAN PLANE
-6-
IN INTERNATIONAL AIRSPACE.
ARE THE RUSSIANS SINCERELY SEEKING
A RELAXATION OF TENSIONS OR HAVE THEY MERELY
RELEGATED THEIR DIRTY WORK TO THE FANATICS
AND FOURTH-RATE DESPOTS OF THE WORLD?
WE HAVE HEARD THE KREMLIN PROFESS
GREAT CONCERN ABOUT MIDDLE EASTERN PEACE.
BUT WE HAVE WATCHED THEM POUR NAVAL FORCES
INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN. WE HAVE HEARD THEM
DEMAND AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL. WE HAVE WATCHED
THEM BUILD UP THE WAR POTENTIAL OF RADICAL
AND IRRESPONSIBLE ARAB STATES THAT REFUSE TO
ENTER INTO REAL PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WITH
ISRAEL.
MOSCOW IS ATTEMPTING TO ACHIEVE
INDIRECTLY WHAT COMMUNIST AND ARAB PRESSURE
HAVE FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH BY MILITARY
PRESSURE AND THREATS. THEY HAVE SOUGHT TO
ROLL BACK THE ISRAELIS FROM THE CEASE-FIRE
LINES OF JUNE, 1967, WITHOUT A MEANINGFUL
-7-
PEACE SETTLEMENT. THUS THEY WOULD KEEP THE
SORE OPEN / RESTORE THE INTOLERABLE SITUATION
THAT EXISTED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE OUTBREAK
OF THE SIX-DAY WAR 3/ AND EXPLOIT ANY RETREAT
BY ISRAEL AND HER FRIENDS TO PUSH FURTHER
AGAINST FREE WORLD INTERESTS.
THE SOVIET UNION HAS NOT
CLARIFIED HER POLICY TO MY SATISFACTION.
INDEED, THEY SEEM TO HAVE A VARIETY OF POLICIES,
TO SUIT THEIR CONVENIENCE. THEY HAVE ONE
POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ANOTHER IN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AND YET ANOTHER IN NORTH
KOREA. IN NORTH KOREA THEY HELP US ONE WEEK
TO SEARCH FOR POSSIBLE SURVIVORS OF THE PLANE
SHOT DOWN BY THE MIG'S THEY PROVIDED. THEN,
THE VERY NEXT WEEK, THEY PROTEST BECAUSE WE
SEND A NAVAL FORCE TO PROTECT OUR
RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS AND OUR RIGHT TO
USE INTERNATIONAL WATERS AND AIRSPACE.
AN ASSESSMENT MUST BE MADE AT
-8-
AMERICAN-SOVIET BILATERAL TALKS ON THE
MIDDLE EAST AND AT THE BIG FOUR MEETINGS. IT
IS WHETHER MOSCOW IS SINCERE IN SEEKING A
REDUCTION OF TENSIONS OR WHETHER RUSSIA IS
TRYING TO EXPLOIT THE FEAR OF WAR IN HOPE
OF TURNING A COMPLEX SITUATION TO HER
ADVANTAGE.
NOT ONLY THE SOVIET UNION BUT
ALSO COMMUNIST CHINA IS FISHING IN THE
TROUBLED WATERS OF THE MIDDLE EAST. ARAB
TERRORISTS ARE BEING TRAINED IN PEKING.
CHINESE "BUTTON" MINES, MORTARS, ROCKETS, AND
OTHER WEAPONS USED AGAINST U.S. FORCES IN
VIET NAM HAVE EMERGED IN THE ARAB GUERRILLA
ASSAULTS AGAINST ISRAEL. ARAB GUERILLA
LEADERS HAVE OPENLY PROCLAIMED THAT THEY WILL
REJECT ANY PEACE SETTLEMENT THAT MIGHT BE
REACHED BY THE BIG FOUR OR SIGNED BY KING
HUSSEIN OR PRESIDENT NASSER.
CITING CHAIRMAN MAO OF COMMUNIST
-9-
CHINA AS THEIR INSPIRATION, THE ARAB
TERRORISTS HAVE PROCLAIMED A SO-CALLED WAR
OF NATIONAL LIBERATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THEIR AIM IS THE LIQUIDATION OF ISRAEL AND
ALL PRO-WESTERN ARAB REGIMES.
THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE
LEADING ARAB TERRORIST MOVEMENT, EL FATAH
IS WORKING THROUGH ARAB STUDENTS AT VARIOUS
AMERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO BUILD
UP U.S. SUPPORT FOR AN ARAB "NATIONAL
LIBERATION FRONT" SIMILAR TO THE CAMPUS
UNDERGROUND MOBILIZED FOR THE VIET CONG
NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT. INDEED, WE NOW
FIND THAT SOME ARABS HERE ON STUDENT VISAS
ARE WORKING WITH THE U.S. COMMITTEE TO AID
THE NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT (VIET CONG ;
THE YOUTH ARM OF THE PRO-PEKING WORKERS
WORLD PARTY KNOWN AS YOUTH AGAINST WAR AND
FASCISM, AND ITS FRONT GROUP, THE COMMITTEE
TO SUPPORT MIDDLE EAST LIBERATION.
-10-
INDICATIONS OF THE FLOW OF TRAINED
AGITATORS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST HAVE BEEN
REVEALED IN CONTACTS BETWEEN THE ARABS AND
THE BLACK PANTHERS, THE STUDENTS FOR A
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY (s.D.s.), AND OTHER
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC GROUPS.
OUR NATION ALREADY IS BESET BY
DISRUPTION AT OUR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
LEARNING. WE HAVE NO NEED OF AGITATORS FROM
ABROAD.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WILL CAREFULLY EXAMINE
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ESTIMATED 10,000 ARAB
STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES TO ASCERTAIN
POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS OF VISA REQUIREMENTS.
IF THEY ARE ABUSING OUR HOSPITALITY IN AN
UNLAWFUL MANNER, THERE SHOULD BE SOME
IMMEDIATE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.
WE ARE PAINFULLY AWARE OF HOW
THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT HAS ALREADY SPILLED
-11-
OVER TO OUR SHORES IN THE CASE OF THE
CONVICTED MURDERER, SIRHAN SIRHAN. THIS
NATION WILL NOT TOLERATE ASSASSINATION AND
TERRORISM.
LET ME REITERATE THAT THE
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IDENTIFIES WITH YOUR CONCERNS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE GROWTH OF ISRAEL-
AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP. WE SHARE YOUR
ASPIRATIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FREEDOM
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
-- END --