Speech #900086185

I am today introducing two muchneeded measures to aid in settling the present conflict in the Middle East. The first of these measures is a senseoftheHouse resolution expressing what I believe are the guidelines within which a settlement must be achieved If It is to be enduring. The resolution provides that the sovereignty of Israel must be recognized. that the Suez Canal must remain an international waterway open to all nations. that all nations must recognize as final the boundaries that will emerge from the anticipated negotiations. that the shipment of arms to all countries of the Middle East be halted and that all Middle Eastern countries immediately devote their full attention to the longstanding problems of the Palestine refugees. The second measure I am introducing should provide the necessary stimulus to cause the countries of the Middle East to relocate these refugees. It is clear that if we are to forge a lasting peace in this historically contentious area these refugees. who have long been one of the prime sources of friction between the Arab and Israel peoples. must be removed from the refugee camps along the 1949 frontier between Israel and the Arab nations and that adequate provision must be made for their permanent settlement elsewhere. Because the recent conflict has dramatically increased the number of refugees on both sides of the borders. it is now even more important that the refugee population be relocated. Those of us who have been intimately familiar with the situation in the Middle East have long recognized the continuIng threat to peace which these refugee camps pose. Fortunately. many carefully considered and thoroughly documented newspaper articles have brought the importance of this problem to the public attention in recent days. However. public awareness of the problem is not enough. Absent positive action by one or more of the great powers of the world. these refugee camps and the concomitant hostility they generate will persist long after the present crisis of the Middle East subsides. My bill directs the Secretary of State to reimburseto such extent as he deems appropriateany Middle Eastern country for expenses It incurs In relocating Arab refugees from Palestine to within its own borders. These payments are to be made directly to the host governments subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may deem necessary. It is my fervent hope that if this bill is enacted into law. the Soviet Union. in furtherance of the spirit of cooperation which was manifest at the Glassboro summit meeting. will join with the United States in this worthwhile and nonpolitical effort to relieve world tensions. Since 1948 many thousands of Arabs who were formerly residents of Palestine have existed in the miserable squalor of refugee camps. These camps on the ArabIsrael frontier have not only been a source of continuing irritation to both sides. but also senselessly demeaned the residents of these camps who nearly 20 years ago were victims of the ArabIsrael war. An entire generation of refugees has grown to virtual maturity knowing no other life. United Nations statistics indicate that over onehalf of the population of these camps is under the age of If this body enacts into law the proposal I am making today. this Nation will not only be helping to eliminate one of the myriad sources of animosity that produced the recent crisis. but it will also be helping to terminate the senseless waste of human resources that necessarily continues as long as these refugee camps remain.