Letter from 75 Senators to President Gerald Ford in Support of Israel

[typed] [three columns of names] [right-hand column] /s/ Daniel K Inouye [typed] Daniel K. Inouye /s/ Floyd K Haskell [typed] Floyd K. Haskell /s/ John C. Culver [typed] John C. Culver /s/ William D Hathaway [typed] William D. Hathaway /s/ Strom Thurmond [typed] Strom Thurmond [middle column] /s/ Robert C Byrd [typed] Robert C. Byrd /s/ Dale Bumpers [typed] Dale Bumpers /s/ Walter D Huddleston [typed] Walter D. Huddleston [handwritten in pencil] [underscored] Mr. chm /s/ Jennings Randolph [typed] W. Jennings Randolph /s/ Pete V Domenici [typed] Pete V. Domenici [left-hand column] /s/ John Glenn [typed] John Glenn /s/ Dick Clark [typed] Dick Clark /s/ Lee Metcalf [typed] Lee Metcalf /s/ Joseph R Biden [typed] Joseph R. Biden, Jr. [circular bluish seal at bottom right, partly of bottom edge] GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY [three columns of names] [left-hand column] /s/ J Glenn Beall, Jr [typed] J. Glenn Beall, Jr. /s/ Hugh Scott [typed] Hugh Scott /s/ Roman Hruska [typed] Roman L. Hruska [handwritten in pencil] [underscored] Mr. Chm /s/ Thomas F. Eagleton [typed] Thomas F. Eagleton /s/ Thomas J. McIntyre [typed] Thomas J. McIntyre /s/ Robert Taft Jr. [typed] Robert Taft, Jr. /s/ Joseph M Montoya [typed] Joseph M. Montoya [middle column] /s/ Bill Roth [typed] William V. Roth, Jr. /s/ Barry Goldwater [typed] Barry Goldwater [handwritten in pencil] [underscored] Mr. chm /s/ Harrison A. Williams [typed] Harrison A. Williams [handwritten in pencil] [underscored] Mr. chm /s/ Bill Proxmire [typed] William Proxmire [handwritten in pencil] [underscored] Mr. chm /s/ Vance Hartke [typed] Vance Hartke /s/ John Tunney [typed] John V. Tunney /s/ Lowell P. Weicker [typed] Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. [right-hand column] /s/ John O. Pastore [typed] John O. Pastore /s/ Robert. Stafford [typed] Robert T. Stafford /s/ Charles McC. Mathias [typed] Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. /s/ James B. Allen [typed] James B. Allen /s/ George Mc Govern [typed] George S. McGovern /s/ Adlai E. Stevenson [typed] Adlai E. Stevenson /s/ Patrick J. Leahy [typed] Patrick J. Leahy [circular bluish seal at bottom right, partly of bottom edge] GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY [three columns of names] [left-hand column] /s/ Birch Bayh [typed] Birch Bayh /s/ Edward W Brooke [typed] Edward W. Brooke /s/ Bob Dole [typed] Robert Dole /s/ Jacob Javits [typed] Jacob K. Javits /s/ Edmund S Muskie [typed] Edmund S. Muskie [handwritten in pencil below at left] [underscored] Mr. Chm /s/ Dick Schweiker [typed] Richard S. Schweiker [center column] /s/ Lloyd Bentsen [typed] Lloyd Bentsen /s/ Clifford P. Case [typed] Clifford P. Case /s/ Hubert H Humphrey [typed] Hubert H. Humphrey [handwritten in pencil] [underscored] Mr. chm /s/ Gale W McGee [typed] Gale W. McGee /s/ Bob Packwood [typed] Bob Packwood /s/ Richard (Dick) Stone [typed] Richard Stone [right-hand column] /s/ [unclear: Bill Brock] [typed] Bill Brock /s/ Frank Church [typed] Frank Church /s/ Henry M Jackson [typed] Henry M. Jackson [handwritten in pencil at right] [underscored] Mr. [unclear: Chairman] /s/ Walter F. Mondale [typed] Walter F. Mondale /s/ Abraham Ribicoff [typed] Abraham Ribicoff [handwritten in pencil at right below] [underscored] Mr. chm /s/ Stuart Symington [typed] Stuart Symington [bottom center] [handwritten in pencil at angle to left of signature] [underscored] Mr. chairman /s/ Herman E. Talmadge [typed] Herman E. Talmadge [circular bluish seal at bottom right] GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY [three columns of names] [left-hand column] /s/ Edward M Kennedy [typed] Edward M. Kennedy /s/ Jake Garn [typed] Jake Garn /s/ James B. Pearson [typed] James B. Pearson /s/ Alan Cranston [typed] Alan Cranston /s/ Wendell Ford [typed] Wendell H. Ford /s/ Philip A Hart [typed] Philip A. Hart /s/ Mike Gravel [typed] Mike Gravel [center column] [handwritten in pencil] [unclear: Mr.] [underscored] Chm /s/ Frank E Moss [typed] Frank E. Moss /s/ Lawton Chiles [typed] Lawton Chiles /s/ unclear: James Buckley [typed] James L. Buckley /s/ Hiram L Fong [typed] Hiram L. Fong /s/ Robert Morgan [typed] Robert Morgan [handwritten in pencil] [unclear: Mr.] [underscored] Chm /s/ Warren G Magnuson [typed] Warren G. Magnuson /s/ Paul Laxalt [typed] Paul Laxalt [right-hand column] /s/ Gaylord Nelson [typed] Gaylord Nelson /s/ Ted Stevens [typed] Ted Stevens [handwritten in pencil in right-hand margin] [underscored] Mr. Chm /s/ Howard W Cannon [typed] Howard W. Cannon /s/ John Tower [typed] John Tower /s/ Gary Hart [typed] Gary Hart /s/ unclear: Claiborne Pell [typed] Clairborne Pell /s/ Sam Nunn [typed] Sam Nunn [circular bluish seal at bottom right] GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY [at top right] [typed] 3589 [handwritten] 5-21 [printed letterhead, centered] United States Senate WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510 [typed] May 21, 1975 [handwritten and circled at right] 75 [typed] Dear Mr. President: You will recall that last December a substantial majority of the Senate wrote you urging a reiteration of our nation's long-standing commitment to Israel's security "by a policy of continued military supplies and diplomatic and economic support". Since 1967 it has been American policy that the Arab-Israel conflict should be settled on the basis of secure and recognized boundaries that are defensible, and direct negotiations between the nations involved. [curved mark around most of "i"] We believe that this approach continues to offer the best hope for a just and lasting peace. While the suspension of the second-stage negotiations is regrettable, the history of the Arab-Israel conflict demonstrates that any Israeli withdrawal must be accompanied by meaningful steps toward peace by its Arab neighbors. Recent events underscore America's need for reliable allies and the desirability of greater participation by the Congress in the formulation of American foreign policy. Cooperation between the Congress and the President is essential for America's effectiveness in the world. During this time of uncertainty over the future direction of our policy, we support you in strengthening our ties with nations which share our democratic traditions and help to safeguard our national interests. We believe that the special relationship between our country and Israel does not prejudice improved relations with other nations in the region. We believe that a strong Israel constitutes a most reliable barrier to domination of the area by outside parties. Given the recent heavy flow of Soviet weaponry to Arab states, it is imperative that we not permit the military balance to shift against Israel. We believe that preserving the peace requires that Israel obtain a level of military and economic support adequate to deter a renewal of war by Israel's neighbors. Withholding military equipment from Israel would be dangerous, discouraging accommodation by Israel's neighbors and encouraging a resort to force. Within the next several weeks, the Congress expects to receive your foreign aid requests for fiscal year 1976. We trust that your recommendations will be responsive to Israel's urgent military and economic needs. We urge you to make it clear, as we do, that the United States acting in its own national interests [underscored by hand] stands firmly with Israel [end underscore] in the search for peace in future negotiations, and that this premise is the basis of the current reassessment of U.S. policy in the Middle East. Respectfully yours, [circular bluish seal at bottom right] GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY