JFK's Views On Israel

“Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.” – JFK.

“Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for Israel.” – Trump.

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“For the original Zionist philosophy has always maintained that the people of Israel would use their national genius not for selfish purposes but for the enrichment and glory of the entire Middle East. The earliest leaders of the Zionist movement spoke of a Jewish state which would have no military power and which would be content with victories of the spirit.

The compulsions of a harsh and inescapable necessity have compelled Israel to abandon this hope. But I cannot believe that Israel has any real desire to remain indefinitely a garrison state surrounded by fear and hate. And I cannot believe that the Arab world would not find a better basis for unity in a united attack on all their accumulated social problems – an attack in which they could benefit immensely from a closer cooperation with the people of Israel.

The technical skills and genius of Israel have already brought their blessings to Burma and to Ethiopia. Still other nations in Asia and in Africa are eager to benefit from the special skills available in that bustling land. Why should the Middle East alone be cut off from this partnership? And why should not the people of Israel receive the blessings available to them from association with the Arab world?

When we think of the possibilities of this association, an emotion of soaring hope replaces our somber anxieties about the Middle East. Ancient rivers would give their power to new industries. The desert would yield to civilization. Disease would be eradicated, especially the disease that strikes down helpless children. The blight of poverty would be replaced by the blessings of abundance.

But it is a long and painful step from the era of the boycott to the era of partnership – and that step needs the direct encouragement and help of the White House. The next President of the United States should always be personally available to stimulate every experiment in cooperation, from the joint development of a river, to a reconsideration of the Arab refugee problem, to the crowning mercy of the final reconciliation that can be brought only by a true peace settlement.

Peace is our primary objective in the Middle East – and peace is partly our responsibility. “Seek peace, and pursue it” commands the psalmist. And that we must do. With open minds, open hearts, and the priceless asset of our American heritage, we shall seek peace in the Middle East, as elsewhere. And when history writes its verdict, let it be said that we pursued the peace with all the courage, all the strength, and all the resourcefulness at our command.

In this task, I ask for your assistance, your patience, your wisdom, and your support – until we can say to Jew and Arab alike “Peace be within thy walls and plenteousness within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will wish thee prosperity.” – Speech by Senator John F. Kennedy, Zionists of America Convention, Statler Hilton Hotel, New York, NY, August 26, 1960.

The cause of Zionism was idealistic and romantic enough at one point, especially in its early stages, to draw the support of European and Western statesmen on the political left. 

Israel also proved it can survive and thrive in successive wars, so it wasn’t viewed as a by-product of European or American power. It was perceived to be its own entity. It didn’t need to be babied. Left alone, with a steady supply of arms and funding, it could defend itself indefinitely against all Middle Eastern adversaries.

They all assumed this baby would grow up to be a functioning adult well-adjusted to its environment. That obviously did not happen. Israel grew up to become a spoiled monster, not a mature, confident, and able participant in international relations. And the biggest factor for that development is the strange, siamese-like relationship it has nurtured with the United States since the assassination of JFK.

JFK admired the young biblical nation, but he wasn’t psychologically or politically captured by the state of Israel. He had his limits, specifically around the nuclear question. He drew the line at Israel arming itself with nuclear weapons, rightly believing that would encourage its worst instincts and put it on the path of war and permanent hostility with its Arab and Muslim neighbours.

JFK’s defiance on the nuclear question and inclinations towards peace led to his downfall, and upended the U.S- Israeli alliance to such a degree that today it is one of a master-slave relationship. It isn’t rational or healthy for either side for the Zionist lobby to continue to exert its dominance in Washington. There will be a breaking point.