Israel—The 51st State?

OWINGS MILLS, Md.—A Middle East settlement as envisaged in U.N. Reso lution 242 will depend very largely upon the degree of influence the U.S. is willing to apply to persuade Israel that her ultimate survival depends on acceptance by her neighbors and inter national guarantees, rather than on any specific frontiers secured by con tinuing military superiority.

All reports from our diplomatic mis sions abroad indicate that the world community—including Britain, France, and our other NATO allies—look to the United States to exercise toward this end the leverage inherent in our “special relationship” with Israel. A full understanding of this relationship is essential in considering the great responsibility Secretary of State Rogers has borne in his attempts to achieve an Arab‐Israeli negotiated settlement.

When President Truman said in Oc tober of 1948, “We are pledged to a State of Israel, large enough, free enough, and strong enough to make its people self‐supporting and secure,” the stage was set for the gradual estab lishment of an association between the U.S. and another country unique in our history. Today, that association is far closer in all areas—defense, eco nomic collaboration, intelligence ex change, common citizenship, and mu tual diplomatic support than enjoyed, for example, between the U.S. and Great Britain. Unique also is Israel’s almost total immunity from criticism in this country.