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Do I Owe Israel Support of Nixon?

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Do I Owe Israel Support of Nixon? killed not him alone, but much more. It killed a dream, morality. We helped by joining forces with destructive and woke me up to the horrible reality in which we hate-mongers, who talk about an Utopian world, but in Jews live. times of real need are incapable of human decency and feelings. We dreamt of a United Nations — about an^nlightened world opinion. Where were they when the Arabs seemed May the untimely death and sacrifice of our Israeli to be victorious? Only when the Arabs seemed beaten brethren be a warning to all of us before it is too late. did the United Nations awake and spread its protective umbrella to prevent Egypt from suffering the results of its aggression. Where, were all those great humanist Do i owe israel support of nixon? nations that were so concerned about Vietnam? Not a single one spoke out — all being more concerned with Jonathan Groner oil than with elementary human decency. How would the impeachment or resignation of the Where was the great McGovern, when his friend Fulbright President affect the future of Israel, and therefore, gave an anti-semitic speech worthy of a Goebbels? And how are we as Jews to respond to calls for either? where were all the great liberal columnists from the New York Times? Only William Safire found it appro- It is clear that if the removal of Richard Nixon would priate to express a word of encouragement. Had we directly endanger Israel's security — for example, if a been criminals, maybe a Tom Wicker or an Anthony Fulbright stood to succeed him — we would have to Lewis would have found time to shed a fake tear — but support Nixon and swallow our revulsion. Similarly, as we are only Jews, they had no time to interrupt, even if somehow Israel's survival were not bound up with for a minute, their vicious hate-campaigns. American arms and economic support, we could express our disgust at the present administration without com- Honor to those who cared punction. The truth is somewhere between these ex- We were alone in the world, just as in 1933, when tremes. Because of the inevitable instability that would Hitler persecuted us and the world stood by idly. But result from impeachment or resignation of the President, this time, thank G-d, not totally alone. One country — perhaps because of a potential White House reaction the United States — stood up for us, and a large number against outspoken Jewish opposition to the President of Congressional leaders supported President Nixon's continuing in office, there is some risk of disadvantage efforts on Israel's behalf. But these were not the people to Israel. Not certain destruction, I think it fair to say, the Jewish community had supported in recent years. but some disadvantage. The question thus becomes, These were names like Henry Jackson, Wilbur Mills, How much risk to Israel, if any, are we willing to accept James Buckley, Hubert Humphrey, Jerry Ford, Henry in order to express our outrage at what seem clearly to Kissinger and — above all — President Nixon. be immoral, criminal, and repressive men and acts? I don't know if he has broken any laws, or if all his When the question is phrased in this way, without the actions were precisely what they should have been. But usual rhetoric of "the very life or death of Israel and his unselfish, courageous stand showed him to possess the Jewish people," it can at least be dealt with. I care the quality of real greatness and moral leadership. He very deeply about Israel, but as a Jewish human being, proved himself to be far above his attackers. May G-d I also care very deeply about the survival of freedom give him strength. and the rule of law in America. These commitments We share the blame are both absolute and relative. They are absolute when Today I am sitting here thinking about what happened they are being radically tested: when Israel is actually since 1967. I can't help but feel that if the United in danger of destruction or when fascism is actually States were as strong today as in 1967, the Russians imminent here. They are both relative in lesser situa- would not be as brazen. I can't help but feel that the tions, and can then be balanced against each other. From btxllets that killed my student and his brothers were this non-absolutist viewpoint, there is an excellent case not just made in Russia, but that we all helped to forge that the potential risk to freedom and justice in America them. We forged them by joining the anti-military if we do not speak out against the President outweighs hysteria of recent years, forgetting that we are free a hypothetical disadvantage to Israel. A serious and people only due to our military strength. We helped committed Jew can take this position in good conscience, make those bullets by letting selfish isolationists con- while remaining constantly vigilant for a radical threat vince us that our cowardice is really a sign of a higher to Israel which would call for his absolute commitment. 11 In almost all other significant matters it is perfectly roof of my mouth, if I do not remember thee ..." respectable for a person to make distinctions and to Perhaps this poem is a prayer that should be recited respond in a measured way; but, for completely under- by American Jewish liberals. In it they will pray that standable reasons, many supporters of Israel react to if they ever forget Jerusalem, they will be silent, and j the present issue only in an absolute fashion. Is it too so not hurt their forgotten beloved. j much for them to understand that theirs is not the only possible Jewish position? I owe israel better than nixon Mark S. Golub I owe israel support of nixon Arlene Pianko A disturbing by-product of the current Israeli crisis has been the exposure of the political naivete and moral In a time when Israel is in danger of annihilation, every bankruptcy within American Jewry, revealed in the Jew must assess each of his acts to determine whether shiddach (match) much of the Jewish community has his behavior will be detrimental to Israel. Since the been willing to make with Richard Nixon. Although Holocaust we are duty bound to temper abstract moral the President has brought his administration to the judgements with the pragmatism of a survivor. In times precipice of total ruin, Jews have rallied to his defense of crisis, the realities of the situation must take prec- — indenturing themselves because he has continued to edence over messianic ideals. direct U.S. aid to Israel since the start of the Yom Kippur War. Even among Jewish liberals, it is deemed With the danger to Israel very real, Jews must dissociate "heresy" to dwell on the Watergate scandal and attend- between the corruption in Richard Nixon's administra- ant White House horrors; and in some Jewish circles, tion and his international policies. While every great it is an outright issur (a prohibition with the weight of power supported the Arabs, the President of the United Torah law) to suggest that the President resign or be States sent arms to Israel and stood up to the Russian impeached. For, so the argument runs, no matter how threat. The only world leader who, at present, is power- evil Nixon may be in domestic affairs, he's been "good ful enough to prevent the Russians from destroying to the Jews" in his Middle East policies. Israel is Richard Nixon. Israel only stands to lose by the impeachment of Richard Nixon at this time. No Yet when one looks objectively at Nixon's Middle East matter how great a friend to Israel his successor might posture, it becomes clear that neither pragmatic self- be, the interregnum would be a period of dangerous interest, nor Jewish idealism, warrants our support of instability. The Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia, the President. Not only has Mr. Nixon done no more like the Yom Kippur War, occurred during a period for Israel than any other President would have done when the President was very unpopular. The security under present circumstances, it is possible to argue of Israel is contingent upon the stability of the pres- that Israel has been seriously harmed as a result of idency of the United States. A weak America cannot Richard Nixon's occupation of the Oval Office. be a strong ally. When policies transcend personalities Last year I supported George McGovern because of my The most elementary law of international relations is disrespect for Nixon's amoral personal conduct and that foreign policy always transcends whoever happens my disapproval of his Vietnam policy. Survival, how- to be in office; it does not shift with each new President.' ever, must take precedence. Rabbi Akiba taught us A dramatic example of this fact was that the country's that if two people find themselves starving in the desert Viet Nam War position changed not one iota when the and there is enough water for only one of them to Kennedy-Johnson administration gave way to the Nixon 1 survive, the one who has it drinks, so that one, at least, administration. So it has been in the Middle East, where may live. After Yom Kippur, American Jews found American foreign policy has been consistently pro- themselves in this dilemma. One of their commitments Israel since the Truman administration. had to be sacrificed so that the other could survive; .
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