How Zionists Have Dictated US Media Since 22Nov1963

8/9/2019 How Zionists Have Dictated US Media Since 22Nov1963

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HOW ZIONISTS HAVE DICTATED WHAT

US CITIZENS HAVE SEEN AS NEWS

SINCE 22NOV1963!!


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The AZC's Internal "Information and Public

Relations Department" Reports.

Documents

http://irmep.org/ila/AZC/default.asp

Between 1962-1963 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee subpoenaed internal reports of the American ZionistCouncil during its investigation into the activities of registered agents of foreign principals. They discovered thatmore than $5 million in tax exempt (and possibly overseas donations) had been laundered through the JewishAgency's American Section into the American Zionist Council. The Jewish Agency functioned as a quasi-branch ofthe Israeli government, received Israeli government funding, and was able to review legislation before it went to theKnesset under its Covenant Agreement.

This violated IRS regulations on the use of tax exempt charitable funds and the 1938 Foreign Agents RegistrationAct.

The following reports detail how the American Zionist Council used the funding in a sophisticated campaign tocajole and intimidate news media, subvert open debate about Israel and undermine reporting about key issues of theday such as Israel's Dimona nuclear weapons facility, operation Susannah terror attacks on the United States, and thereturn of Arab refugees to their homes. The AZC tracked and targeted professors and engaged in covert operationsobliquely referred to in the following internal reports.

After the Justice Department ordered the American Zionist Council to register as a foreign agent in late 1962, ittransferred responsibilities to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which refuses to register as a foreignagent of the Israeli government.

Document/File Date Contents11-12/1960 Bi-Monthly Report

"During this two-month period, there was considerable editorial and news comment dealingwith many issues affecting Israel and the Middle East. While the preponderance of thismaterial concerned itself with Israel's new nuclear reactor, the following items were dealtwith in more than passing fashion: (1) Arab refugees (the issue was again before the U.N.General Assembly; (2) The Eichmann case (some of the opposition forces are still at it); (3)Israel's aid to the African nations (almost everybody in America should be aware of this aid

by now; and (4) seating of the UAR in the Security Council (a number of papers attacked it).

"The nuclear reactor story inspired comment from many sources; editorial writers,columnists, science writers and cartoonists. Most of the press seemed finally to accept the


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thesis that the reactor was being built for peaceful purposes and not for bombs. Somecolumnists felt that the U.S. should have awaited more information before 'ventilating itssuspicions'. Drew Pearson's syndicated column justified Israel's secrecy; William Laurencein the New York Times stressed Israel's peaceful intent, in contrast to Arthur Krock whowanted the reactor placed under international safeguards. Arab protagonists in this countryincluding those in the State Department who raised all the fuss initiallyused the occasionto try to cast doubt on Israel's friendship toward the U.S."

"The nuclear reactor story inspired comment from many sources; editorial writers,columnists, science writers and cartoonists. Most of the press seemed finally to accept thethesis that the reactor was being built for peaceful purposes and not for bombs. Somecolumnists felt that the U.S. should have awaited more information before 'ventilating itssuspicions'. Drew Pearson's syndicated column justified Israel's secrecy; William Laurencein the New York Times stressed Israel's peaceful intent, in contrast to Arthur Krock whowanted the reactor placed under international safeguards. Arab protagonists in this countryincluding those in the State Department who raised all the fuss initiallyused the occasionto try to cast doubt on Israel's friendship toward the U.S."

"It can be said that the press of the nation, during 1960 has by and large shown sympathyand understanding of Israel's position. There are, of course, exceptions, notably the Scripps-Howard chain where we still need to achieve a "break-through", the Pulliam chain (where

some progress has been made) and some locally-owned papers."

The Magazine Committee...continues to meet regularly. Writers with whom we are incontact have readied articles for Reader's Digest and are discussing another article with theSaturday Evening Post. (The Reader's Digest 'pulled' a story on Eichmann after type was setand the author was paid, on the flimsy excuse that Israel's agreement to pay Servatius nowcasts some doubts on the article without going into any further explanations. It was Mrs.Eichmann's refusal, incidentally, to contribute to her husbands defense out of the monies shereceived from Life Magazine that prompted Servatius to approach the IsraelGovernment)...We stimulated seven letters to Time because of their treatment of the reviewof Exodus."

"We circulated widely our run-down on Harry Ellis' book Challenge in the Middle East.

(The extent of the distribution of this material, together with discussions by our NewEngland representative with editors of the Christian Science Monitor, in our opinion,resulted in the Monitor's recent failure to publish a number of Ellis' dispatches from theMiddle East. Apparently the editors did not want to associate Ellis too prominently with theMonitor during a period of strong adverse reaction in some quarters to his book.) Wecontinue to urge upon community leaders presentations of a suitable Israel or Middle EastBookshelf to local and college libraries...Our office provided books, bibliographies and

pamphlets to academicians, graduate students and community leaders in response to requestsfor information."

"During the months of November and December, there were 260 appearances in 83 citiesand 24 states. This brought the total number of engagements for this year to 2,124....The thetotal number of speaking engagementsthe overwhelming number of which were set up

before Christian and general audiencesunder the auspices of the Department came to thesum of 2,661."

"It is not surprising to note that Dr. Allyn Robinson of the National Conference of Christiansand Jews has gotten some negative responses to his first-rate article on anti-Semitism whichappeared in Social Action. In that article he stated that 'it is sometimes a very short stepfrom anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism and many an Arab and his American friends have takenit.' We helped assemble the material to make it possible for Robinson to substantiate his

point."

"AZC turned down a request from the Christian Advocate to debate the Eichmann case


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editorially with the Council for Judaism." "The AZC Commission on Inter-Religious Affairsdecided against our formally replying to Rabbi Philip Sigal's attack in the fall issue of TheTorch, organ of the National Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs."

"Arab speakers have been active on many campuses, but in almost all instances they havebeen counteracted..."

"Dr. Joseph Schechtman's article "Contra the Middle East Institute" was published in the

Reconstructionist. We ordered reprints which were sent primarily to academicians aroundthe country."

"The U.S. contingent of 60 Mayors returned from Israel where they attended the Conferencethis year. While in Israel, a number of them were interviewed by our representative whosent stories back to their hometown papers; they were also recorded in interviews for localradio stations. We notified community leaders of those mayors who attended the conferencein Israel' in many cases, local Zionist leaders have already met with mayors and aredeveloping plans to place them before Jewish and Christian audiences, etc.

"We continue to encourage visits to Israel by public opinion molders and, where possible,assist with financial arrangements...Recent visitors in whom we had more than a rootinginterest returned from Israel quite enthusiastic and it is, therefore, hoped that they will be

helpful to us in the future. These include: Harold Flanders, TV and movie writer, who hasjoined our Radio-TV Committee; James Flanagan, Associate editor of the Christian, (churchpublication) St. Louis; the Donald Harringtons of the Community Church in NewYork....Agnes Mayer, co-owner of the Washington Post, who has done some excellentwriting since her return; the Ethridges of the Louisville Courier Journal....Our representativein Israel continues to meet with visiting Christians and arranges briefings, hospitality, etc..."

"ACJ continues its attempts to get on TV and Radio, with small success. Our policycontinues to be not to enter into public debates with them; this stand has caused many

producers to drop program ideas initiated by ACJ...Their speakers on campus have beencounteracted effectively...In Los Angeles, the International Round Table, which hadscheduled both Berger and Sayegh, dropped them after inquiries in the Jewish community.

ACJ remains, however, a potent anti-Zionist and anti-Israel force. The AZC is nowdiscussing a project which, if implemented, should go a long way in diminishing theacceptance of ACJ in many quarters."

01/19/1961 Mrs. Moses P. Epstein, Chairman of the AZC Department of Information and PublicRelations issues material for Israel's thirteenth anniversary PR, including draft proclamationsfor governors and mayors to declare the week of April 20 "Israel Independence Week".

01-02/1961 Bi-Monthly Report - "The opposition groups took the initiative, as in the past, via letters tothe editor on such subjects as BG's (David Ben-Gurion) speech on Aliyah, the Eichmanncase, Israel's reactor, the Lavon affair and Israel's 'discrimination' against its minorities.Among the more prominent letter writers were Hans Kohn, Edna Ferber, and Hamilton

Fish."

"We also took the initiative in sending the letters to papers throughout the country attackingNasser on issues wholly unrelated to the Arab-Israel controversy."

LIFE Magazine (February 17) carried a hostile editorial titled: 'The Crisis in Zionism'. TheAZC stimulated several hundred letters to the publication in disagreement with the editorial;a meeting with one of the editors has also been held and under consideration is a piece onZionism to be prepared by us which they may print..."

"Some communities (Philadelphia, Miami Beach, San Francisco, and Los Angeles) are


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planning to augment our speakers program by establishing local speakers bureaus. Thisinvolves recruitment, training, and placement of speakers on local platforms."

"Currently, work is proceeding on preparation of a Unit on Israel (about 100 pages) for useby Jr. and Sr. High School teachers. The Committee plans to find and recruit nuclei offriendly academicians in areas outside of the Greater New York Area."

"A partial scholarship is being offered to an Israel student to transfer to the Monterey

Peninsula College where propaganda carried on by three Arab professors has been mosthurtful...Mrs. Lasdon of Schenectady has been instrumental in obtaining the cooperation ofUnion College in creating a scholarship for an Israel student there."

"We continue to cultivate faculty people in many areas and are making progresshere...Efforts are being made by our friends in the San Francisco area to persuade Stanford todrop Fayez Sayeh from the faculty on the grounds that he is a paid propagandist rather thanan objective academician...Dr. Zucker at the University of Utah is at work attempting toobtain endowment of a chair to be held by a Jew who should be a distinguished Semiticist,and the prospects seem favorable. This campus is especially significant as it is staffed withArab professors and its 50 Arab students are highly active."

"Prof. Arnold Toynbee was invited to spend about five months in this country...When

Toynbee accusations first broke in the press, we call together the major non-Zionist groupsand evolved a common policy' (1) Discourage all Jewish Groups for issuing invitations toToynbee; (2) Monitor all public appearances and refrain from bringing up the subject ofIsrael or the Jews unless Toynbee raises the subject in his presentation. The tworecommendations were carried out." "We have provided our community contacts withmaterial they could use should the situation warrant it; this material has been used effectivelyin several situations..."

"We continue to try to make contact with those who have gone to Israel under other auspicesfollowing their return in order to advance our p.r. program."

"The ACJ [American Council for Judaism] is today the most effective anti-Zionist and anti-Israel force on the American scene. It continues its aggressive campaign and isconcentrating on the mass media and in church circles. Its success is due primarily to thefact that being a Jewish organization (they operate under the term 'Judaism') it becomesacceptable to those in the communications field who thrive on controversy and who can now

present 'another Jewish point of view'. Its position also finds an echo among thoseChristianswho, either because of some degree of latent anti-Semitism or because ofobligations to the Arabscan now join the fray without fear of being called anti-Semitic; ('Iam in good Jewish company')."

"Whatever the reasons, the ACJ will require much more attention on our part now than in thepast. In this campaign we will need the assistance of the non-Zionists and especially that ofthe organized Jewish religious leadership. It is the task of the AZC to stimulate, mobilizeand direct this effort, and will require the services of a full-time staff person."

04/03/1961 AZC Department of Information and Public Relations memo addressed to ExecutiveDirectors of Zionist Groups and Select New York Area List

"On Wednesday evening, April 5, at 7:3- PM, WCBS-TV will telecast a one-hourdocumentary on 'Eichmann and Israel'. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, Dr. Joachim Prinz and Dr.John Slawson are among the interviewees on the American scene. It should be noted thatthese men were taped for the program without the knowledge that Rabbi Elmer Berger of theAmerican Council for Judaism would also be on the program."

"The American Council for Judaism has taken steps to see to it that WCBS receives


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hundreds of letters and phone calls praising Berger's remarks and thanking the station forinviting him to appear. (The ACJ has been conducting a campaign for months now toachieve such recognition in the mass media)."

It would be most helpful if you could stimulate your membership and friends to send notes toWCBS or to make hone calls following the telecast indicating displeasure at their havinginvited Berger and challenging his right to appear as a Jewish spokesman in view of the factthat his organization has been denounced by all three Rabbinic organizations in Judaism.

Individuals should be encouraged to write their own letters."

04/11/1961 AZC organizes tours of Israel through the American Christian Palestine Committee StudyTour. "We, therefore, turn to you once again to help in the selection of a suitable man orwoman of some stature in your community who can upon his return help interpret Israel tothe general community. An educator, religious leader, editor, or civic leader who isgenerally sympathetic to the aims of Israel, but one in need of greater knowledge of MiddleEast problems, would make the ideal tour participant."

5/1961 Budgetary Digest of the American Zionist Council

"The AZC was formerly financed by the Jewish Agency for Israel, but this financial supportwas to cease at March 31, 1961. The source of this Jewish Agency support of the AZC wasthe UJA which is finance by Welfare Funds. The AZC is seeking direct support fromWelfare Funds since the reorganization of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Inc. in 1960 resultedin the separation of AZC activities from the basic program of immigrant aid which willcontinue to be financed by the Jewish Agency for Israel. This separation was in line with the

principal that decisions and support of domestic activities should be made by the AmericanJewish community rather than by an international agency."

05/19/1961 Mrs. Moses P. Epstein, Chairman of the AZC Department of Information and PublicRelations issues guidance on the Adolf Eichmann trial. "It became necessary almost fromthe start, therefore, to conduct an educational campaign on the Eichmann issue to reachmolders of public opinion throughout the country, stressing the moral issues involved..."

"Please continue to monitor the press in your area, including the church press, for commentson the Eichmann trial. ."

09-10/1961 Bi-monthly Report --Department of Information and Public Relations. "Very little commentappeared editorially on the Israeli Arabs who were shot in crossing the border intoEgypt...There was a slight lessening of hostile letters to the editor." "Israel fared extremelywell during this period, with five or six major articles in the top publications: AtlanticMonthly, Reader's Digest, Look, Holiday, Saturday Review...Our Magazine Committeecontinues to be active in the planning and placement of articles..."

"The Atlantic Monthly in its October issue carried the outstanding Martha Gellhorn piece onthe Arab refugees, which made quite an impact around the country. We arranged for thedistribution of 10,000 reprints to public opinion molders in all categories. Acting oninformation that anti-Israel groups were bombarding the Atlantic with critical letters, westimulated a letter campaign designed to counteract their impact...Interested friends aremaking arrangements with the Atlantic for another reprint of the Gellhorn article to be sentto all 53,000 persons whose names appear in Who's Who in America...The November issueof the Atlantic carried a special 64-page Supplement on Israel, with articles by some ofIsrael's top names. Our Boston office edited the Yadin article..." "Jack Anderson, followinghis return from Israel, is now doing a piece for Parade Publications...We wrote the piece onZionism for the Spencer Press Encyclopedia...Our Committee is now planning articles forthe women's magazines for the trade and business publications...Meyer Levin's piece onBuber will appear in the New York Times Magazine any day now..."


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"Two network shows were arranged...We counteracted Don Peretz' interviews on severalprograms with our own people who either appeared simultaneously or at a subsequent date."

"AZC continues to counteract all hostile speeches on campuses by placing appropriatespeakers on the same platforms." "Representations by the Boston office resulted in thecancellation of an inflammatory Arab film which dealt with the refugees."

"Kenneth Wilson did a splendid piece for the Christian Herald upon his return [from

Israel]..The same applies to William Henry Chamberlin who two articles have alreadyappeared in the Wall Street Journal and one in the New Leader..Earl Ubell continues to writeand plan articles on Israel (he is now writing one for the Saturday Evening Post).

"We continue to counteract the Arab speakers wherever they appear, by placing our ownspeakers on the same platforms..."

"Mailings have gone out to public opinion molders dealing with current issues.."

09/27/1961 AZC Department of Information and Public Relations memo addressed to Local ZionistCouncil Chairmen. "The current issue of The Atlantic, now on the newsstands, features a20-page article on 'The Arabs of Palestine" which is one of the best articles on the subject yet

to be written. This piece, coming from the pen of Martha Gellhorn, celebrated journalist,novelist and war correspondent, assumes added significance in view of the discussion of thisissue which will take place at this session of the U.S. General Assembly."

We urge you to get a copy for your own reading and also that you bring it to the attention ofkey individuals in your community. We have arranged for reprints which will not beavailable until late October (the publishers frown on their appearance while the current issueis on the stands) which you can then send on to a larger list of public opinion molders inyour area. (The charge for the reprint will be ten cents per copy.)

Meanwhile, would you also drop a note to the editors (8 Arlington Street, Boston,Massachusetts) indicating, among other comments you may care to make, your gratificationat their having printed such an illuminating article. Undoubtedly, the 'opposition' is

stimulating a heavy letter campaign and it would be helpful if the editors also received asubstantial number of letters of commendation."

11-12/1961 Bi-Monthly Report - 'Hundreds of editorials appeared in the press commenting on theEichmann verdict; about 6% of those were highly critical of Israel (in such major papers asthe Cincinnati Enquirer, Tulsa Tribune, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Salt Lake City Tribune, and

Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch)...40% of the press...opposed the death sentence, 20% suggestedthe trial should have been held by an international tribunal. Almost all papers, however,agreed that Eichmann received a fair trial..."

"There was considerably less comment on the Arab refugee debate in the U.N. Papers whichdid comment were generally critical of the Arab determination to use the issue for political

purposes; editorials generally favored resettlement in the Arab countries..."

"Perhaps the most effective letter was written by a former refugee, now resident in theUnited States, whose letter appeared in the Christian Science Monitor of November 26. In ithe states that the Arabs were threatened y the Arab Higher Committee and the Mufti shouldthey refuse to leave the country and that 'we were driven from our home, not by our Jewishneighbors who offered us peace, but by the short-sighted fanatics of our own people.' Thisletter has been widely circulated and another offset is planned for even wider distribution."

"US News and World Report took a searching look at Nasser's future and found it ratherbleak. The Atlantic said the UAR breakup was a most serious setback for Nasser. It alsocarried seven letters commenting on the (excellent) Gellhorn piece on the Arab refugees;


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four of these in praise (which we stimulated) and three critical...Atlantic will carry anotherGellhorn piece...We continue to give distribution to the Gelhorn reprint and some localZionist Councils are doing the same...A study by Dr. Joseph Schechtman, 'Minorities in theMuslim World' has been accepted for publication by India Quarterly, organ of the IndianCouncil for Foreign Affairs, in New Delhi. It is scheduled to appear in the forthcomingissue. We ordered a number of reprints for distribution."

"Perfidy, the Ben Hecht [book] indictment of Israel's leaders, has been damaging; Hecht

himself worked hard in the promotional effort and made a number of radio and TVappearances. Some reviewers tried hard not to offend either Israel or Hecht, and thus left thereader somewhat confused. Several attempts to do a Fact Sheet on the book wereinconclusive due to the nature of the charges and lack of available factual material withwhich to positively refute those charges...The publishers claim a sale of 35,000 copies of the

book."

"Don Kellerman, producer of the CBS ACCENT Program, will be leaving for Israel to lookinto some program possibilities. Two NBC people will also be making the trip early in 1962for similar purposes."

"Fayez Sayegh, noted Arab propagandist, is leaving Stanford to take up a one-year residenceprofessorship in September at Macalester College in St. Paul. He was appointed to fill a

Chair of International Studies endowed by DeWitt Wallace of the Readers Digest, (who willbe giving Macalester $3 million during the next few years.)...We have alerted our friends inthe area to Sayegh's propaganda activities while at Stanford. There is much concern in theJewish community and approaches are being made to President Rice of Macalester. Rice is

being acquainted not only with Sayegh's record; the public relations implications of Sayegh'soff-campus activities will also be brought to his attention..."

"The Department now monitors the publications containing information and comment oninternational affairs which go into the elementary, junior and senior high schools..." "Ourrepresentative in Israel continues to arrange meetings, receptions and interview for visitingVIP Americans..."

"Hadawi's allegations that newspapers in the East are under Zionist pressure, carried in the

Lubbock Avalanche, elicited a rejoinder from its editor...We continue to counteract Arabspeakers on all platforms with pro-Israel speakers; thus, Hadawi was followed up byMatityahu Dagan and Shlomo Efrat, Hassan by Hedzini, etc...The Birmingham Zionistleadership has been effectively counteracting the Arabs in that area..."

"Its [American Friends of the Middle East] new publication...carried a stingingcondemnation of the Gellhorn article on the refugees, adding; 'We cannot repeat oftenenough that Zionist-inspired controls, propaganda and pressures, of which the article inquestion is merely one of a long series, seriously prejudice the American position in theMiddle East and greatly increase the probabilities of renewed warfare...'"

02-05/1962 American Zionist Council Calendar of Speaking Engagements.

06/01/1962 AZC Area Southern Office reports activities between September 1, 1961 through May 31,1962. "The Southern Area Office of AZC has also cooperated with Consulates of Israel inAtlanta, Georgia and Dallas, Texas in setting up speaking engagements for the Consuls andVice-Consuls before non-Jewish groups in a number of communities. These are: Asheville,Mobile, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Little Rock, Lubbock, Montgomery."

Under the heading "Anti-Israel Propaganda" the report states "For obvious reasons ouractivities in this area cannot be minutely described, nor can we give names, dates, or places.We are, however, fighting hostile propagandists as one of our major activities throughout theyear by: a. a careful check of newspapers, bulletins and confidential sources of our own, who


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can give us reliable information on the movements or itineraries of these propagandists. b.alerting our community contacts...c. requesting that all known meetings bemonitored....furnishing speakers and arranging for them to address the forums..."

"For the observance of Israel's 14th anniversary, we offered to our local councils and keycommunity leaders the following....A play "A Message from Dimona", written by MarcSiegel especially for the American Zionist Council for presentation by dramatic groups,community centers and others celebrating the anniversary." (Described as a "story of a new

city in the Israeli desert" in theNew York Times radio broadcast schedule)

10/30/1962 AZC Department of Information report to the AZC Executive Committee. "part of the workof the original Council had now been taken over by the Kenen Committee which wascharged with political action ..greater emphasis is now put on a more subtle approach, which,through positive presentation of Israel's accomplishments, aims and purposeand bycounter-attack of the many enemies of Israel and the Zionist movementhelps create afavorable image of Israel and the Zionist movement."

"The office staff monitors daily press...When hostile attacks on Israel or the Zionistmovement appear anywhere, material is prepared and sent, either directly to the editor orfrom the office as draft material to our friends and groups throughout the country who mighthave better access to a particular publication involved..." "In one recent week, for example,

we were forced to research and prepare communications in reply to three extremely inimicalarticles appearing in the Columbia University (Quarterly) Forum, Cosmopolitan Magazine,and Editor and Publisher..."

"The Research Bureau also analyzes books and articles which deal with Israel or the MiddleEast. When a book is favorable, it is recommended. When it is unfavorable, it is analyzedand distortions are pointed up by providing the factual data required, so that our localCouncils will be prepared to react....We also stimulate book presentations to libraries, bothcommunity and university libraries..."

"Magazine Committee.....We cannot pinpoint all that has already been accomplished by thisCommittee except to say that it has been responsible for the writing and placement of articleson Israel in some of America's leading magazines...."

"TV-Radio Committee....The Committee arranges for talks and interviews on radio and TV;submits ideas for possible programs to stations and networks so as to give a better and moresympathetic understanding of Israel to the viewing American public..."

"Public Relations Advisory Council....last week 15 of the outstanding public relations men ofthis city sat around this table to consider how they could be of help in presenting a positive

picture of Israel in the U.S."

The Role of Communities....One word about our effort to transplant this work at the grassroots level, without which its final impact is lost...we are only at the beginning ofdevelopment in this field...we have learned we can attract into our fold men and women who

have no present Zionist affiliation, no definite understanding of what Zionism isbut whohave an excited interest in Israel and a willingness to help....If we know how to exploit thiswillingness to become a more integral part of the Jewish people, we can begin to meet ourZionist responsibility..."

Archive On November 21, 1962 The Department of Justice.orders the American Zionist Council toregister as an Israeli foreign agent.

11/29/1962 AZC president Jerome Unger memo centralizes all public relations activities. "Beginningimmediately and extending through April 30, 1963 we have engaged Mr. Ernest Barbarashto conduct the 'internal public relations' activities of the AZC...You may submit your


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material and requests directly to Mr. Barbarash or channel them through my office, as youdesire...it is rare that we are concerned with this kind of need suddenly..."

12/10/1962 "We know that community leaders, as well as Christian public opinion molders, who areactively engaged in the creation of a better understanding of Israel and the Middle East havefound the Near East Report an important and vital source of information....Unfortunately, wemust now inform you that the Council is no longer in a position to continue this service..."

DOJ orders the AZC to Register as a Foreign

Agent

Documentshttp://irmep.org/ila/AZCDOJ/default.asp

In the early 1960's Israel funneled $5 million (more than $35 million in today's dollars) into US propaganda andlobbying operations. The funds were channeled via the quasi governmental Jewish Agency's New York office intoan Israel lobby umbrella group, the American Zionist Council. Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigationsand hearings documented funding flows, propaganda, and public relations efforts and put them into the record. Butthe true fate of the American Zionist Council was never known, except that its major functions were visibly shutdown and shifted over to a former AZC unit known as the "Kenen Committee," called the American Israel PublicAffairs Committee (or AIPAC) in the late 1960's. The following chronology provides links to images of originalDepartment of Justice case files released on June 10, 2008 under a Freedom of Information Act filing.

John F. Kennedy President, Robert F. Kennedy Attorney General

Document/File Date Contents08/27/1962 AZC internal memo - Lenore Karp to Rabbi Jerome Unger about AZC Department of Public

Information literature distribution.Undated 1962-1963 AZC Public Relations Plan summary10/31/1962 Assistant Attorney General and Director of the Internal Security Division J. Walter Yeagley

notifies Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy "...we are soliciting next week the registrationof the American Zionist Council under the Foreign Agents Registration Act...You may beaware that the American Zionist Council is composed of representatives of the variousZionist organizations in the United States including the Zionist Organization of America."

11/06/1962 Nathan B. Lenvin, head of the FARA section, memo to central files, about a meeting with

Jewish Agency representative Maurice M. Boukstein who asks about FARA applicability toAZC. "...in his view it was doubtful that any great protest would be made since in thediscussions he has had with various officials connected both with the Zionist Council and theJewish Agency he had made it clear in his view an agency relationship would result whichmay require registration.'"

11/14/1962 Edwin Guthman letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Deputy Attorney GeneralNicholas Katzenbach about future AZC FARA registration order. "I doubt very much therewill be any fuss. I don't think the American Zionist Council is in any position to do so...theCouncil has compromised its position." OK'd by Robert F. Kennedy.

11/21/1962 DOJ orders AZC to register under FARA "...receipt of such funds from the AmericanSection of the Jewish Agency for Israel constitutes the Council an agent of a foreign


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principal...the Council's registration is requested."

12/06/1962 AZC President Rabbi Irving Miller response to DOJ "The request for registration containedin your letter raises many questions of fact and of relationships which first must be resolved

by us before compliance can be made. Therefore, it is requested that you be good enough togrant us a delay of 120 days..."

01/02/1963Archive

Isaiah L. Kenen incorporates the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington,DC

01/24/1963 DOJ draft file memo about 01/23/1963 DOJ meeting with AZC head legal counsel Simon H.

Rifkind "...he had advised his client to discontinue completely the agency relationship andcut off the receipt of any additional funds...Mr. Lenvin pointed out specifically that thetermination of the 'activities' on the part of AZC did not absolve it of its obligation toregister..."

01/25/1963 Article in the National Jewish Post, filed in FARA Section - "AZC Gives Up $ to AvoidForeign Agent Registration"

02/01/1963 DOJ Executive Assistant Thomas Hall memo to Nathan Lenvin updating meeting notes "Mr.Hall emphasized that a contrary conclusion would not of course be reached during the courseof this meeting and suggested that the subject submit a detailed argument as to why it was ofthe opinion it should not be required to register...."

02/08/1963 DOJ AZC January 23, 1963 meeting notes by Nathan Lenvin filed "discontinuance of receiptof such funds thus terminating the agency relationship did not absolve the Council of itsobligation to register."

02/19/1963 American Council for Judaism (AJC) newsletter. "The American Zionist Council(coordinating political action arm of all U.S. Zionist organizations) was asked last month bythe Justice Department to register as a 'foreign agent' of the State of Israel."

03/07/1963 New York Times reporter Tony Lewis calls FARA section to verify AZC foreign agent orderstate AJC press release.

3/23/1963 AZC Counsel "Memorandum of Law in support of our position that the American ZionistCouncil is not required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938."

04/01/1963 Nathan Lenvin file memo of DOJ AZC meeting on April 1, 1963- AZC Memorandum ofLaw rejected. "...if necessary I would be willing to recommend, if the representatives of theCouncil insisted upon these points, that the matter be litigated."

04/05/1963 Thomas Hall memo with J. Walter Yeagley notes "Okay, but let's get it concluded. Have wesent them J.A. reg[istration] statement?"

05/02/1963 Nathan Lenvin file memo of DOJ AZC meeting on May 2, 1963 "Finally, Judge Rifkindraised the point...that the vast number of Jews who adhered to the principles of Zionismcould not understand how 'our administration' could do such harm to the Zionist movementand impair the effectiveness of the Council by insistence on registration. He appealed to thediscretionary power of the Department...Mr. Katzenbach then noted that if the Council madea full disclosure of the receipt and expenditure of the funds it had received from the JewishAgency so that such information would then be available for public inspection the purposesand objectives of the Registration Act might well be accomplished and very likely therewould be nothing further for the Government to do..."

05/23/1963 First Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings on Israeli Foreign Agents (SenateRecords)

06/28/1963 Wall Street Journal article "Federal lawyers near decision on whether to require theAmerican Zionist Council to register as an agent of the Israeli government. High Justice

Department officials weigh the risk of offending Jewish opinion in the U.S. Senate ForeignRelations Chairman Fulbright also eyes the council's activities."

06/28/1963-07/26/1963

Citizen telegrams and letters urging FARA decision based on legal merits rather thanpolitical considerations.

07/02/1963 Irene Bowman FARA section file memo on a June 28, 1963 DOJ AZC meeting, "Mr. AdrianW. DeWind and a Mr. Kahn (ph) of the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison...for the purpose of submitting for the Department's examination a stack of publications andseveral books prepared by the American Zionist Council....Prior to Mr. DeWind's departurehe said he was disturbed by what he described as the speed with which the AmericanCouncil on Judaism learned that the Department had solicited the registration of theAmerican Zionist Council. He wondered whether there was a leak in the Department."


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07/15/1963 Congressman Donald Rumsfeld letter to Robert F. Kennedy about status of AZC FARAregistration.

07/19/1963 Thomas K. Hall Memo to Deputy AG Katzenbach and J. Walter Yeagley on Wall StreetJournal Article. Yeagley notes "I called Judge Rifkind Thursday July 18. He said hethought the material had been submitted and was 'embarrassed.' Fri[day] someone else fromthe firm called asking for still another 2 or 3 weeks as their controller or someone is inEurope."

07/19/1963 J. Walter Yeagley responds to Rumsfeld "ultimate determination will be based on the law as

applied to the facts...not on any consideration of its effect on the public opinion of the Jewishcommunity..."

07/26/1963 American Council for Judaism Letter to RFK about AZC FARA registration "I am enclosinglatest issue of our newsletter, Brief, featuring our comments on the Department of Justiceinvestigation of the American Zionist Council..."

07/26/1963 Theresa Green FARA memo about AZC phone call request for two week filing deadlineextension.

7/30/1963 Routing memo from Deputy AG Nicholas Katzenbach to J. Walter Yeagley "I guess this isthe correct response. Rifkind should be needled, but much depends on Fulbright, too."

8/1/1963 Second Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings on Israeli Foreign Agents (SenateRecords)

08/14/1963 FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover offers J. Walter Yeagley FBI assistance to investigate the AZC"In view of recent public hearings...it is requested that you advise whether any investigation

is desired...."8/14/1963 J. Walter Yeagley response to 7/30/1963 Katzenbach routing memo (copy from above) "Mr.

Hall - is it time to write Rifkindor send memo to A.G. or send in FBI?"

08/15/1963 Thomas K. Hall internal FARA memo about AZC legal counsel "stalling hoping that timewill resolve the difficulties faced by the AZC...We should go on record with the AG (copy todeputy) outlining the posture of this matter and indicate the need for more drastic action..."

8/16/1963 Irene Bowman, FARA section analysis on alleged AZC FARA violations derived fromSenate Foreign Relations Committee hearings. "...the Department should insist on theimmediate registration of the American Zionist Council under the Foreign AgentsRegistration Act, and if such registration is not forthcoming, appropriate action should betaken to enforce such a request."

08/17/1963 AZC Executive Director Rabbi Jerome Unger letter and filing to FARA Section "Enclosedwherewith are the two reports of Income and Expenditures of the American ZionistCouncil..."

08/20/1963 Nathan Lenvin query asking if Irene Bowman would accept as FARA registration, Bowman:"Absolutely not!"

08/22/1963 J. Walter Yeagley memo to Nicholas Katzenbach: "There is also attached a proposed letterfrom me to Judge Rifkind requesting a registration to be filed within ten days."

08/23/1963 J. Walter Yeagley to FBI Director "..registration was originally solicited by letter datedNovember 21, 1962...Pending a determination as to whether further letter should be writteninsisting on registration no investigation will be required. You will be kept advised ofdevelopments in this matter."

10/11/1963 DOJ Demand for AZC Registration "the Department expects a response from you within 72hours with regard to this matter."

10/17/1963 J. Walter Yeagley notes of DOJ AZC meeting attended by Nicholas Katzenbach. "Judge

Rifkind then made a plea for no registration, stating it was the opinion of most of the personsaffiliated with the Council that such registration would be so publicized by the AmericanCouncil on Judaism that it would eventually destroy the Zionist movement...he did not

believe his clients would file any papers or sign any papers indicating that the organizationwas an agent of a foreign principal. I told him that any such information or material that issupplied on that basis would be made part of the Department's public files available forinspection by the public..."

Lyndon B. Johnson President, Robert F. Kennedy Attorney General


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12/11/1963 AZC Counsel to DOJ "...our client is not prepared to register as an agent of a foreigngovernment. It has, however, no reluctance to make this information available voluntarily..."

01/02/1964 Deputy AG Katzenbach asks DOJ FARA section to prepare a "reply for his signature in afriendly rather than a hostile tone...to the effect that the material he submitted is notsatisfactory..."

01/10/1964 Deputy AG Katzenbach letter to AZC counsel "The material you submitted is much lessuseful than what I had expected you were going to submit and of course there is nodisclosure unless the data is available for public inspection."

01/16/1964 AZC counsel Rifkind to Katzenbach "I shall try to accommodate my trip to Washington tosome occasion when I am there on other business.."

02/03/1964 Nathan Lenvin meetings with AZC counsel Rifkind "Judge Rifkind opened the meeting byshowing me a pamphlet distributed by the American Council for Judaism which containedcharges that Zionists were acting as propaganda agents for the State of Israel...he wasconcerned that any disclosure which were being made should not be such as to substantiatethese charges made by the American Council [for Judaism]... Mr. Rothenberg made onecaviat, that they would have to be sure anything they submitted would not ultimately

prejudice the organization in the eyes of the public."02/10/1964 Ed Guthman Letter to J. Walter Yeagley "I don't see how we can accept a caveat that an

organization won't submit information that might prejudice it publicly."02/10/1964 J. Walter Yeagley letter to AZC counsel Rothenberg "the Department is not concerned with

the Council's expenditures in connection with exempt activities such as Hebrew education

and culture but requests that the Council submit a statement detailing its other expendituresand particularly those under the category of the Department of Information and PublicRelations..."

02/12/1964 AZC counsel Rothenberg acknowledgement "I acknowledge receipt of your letter..."03/16/1964 AZC counsel Rothenberg letter to Lenvin - "You are familiar, I know, with the agreement

reached between Judge Rifkind and Mr. Katzenbach, in the presence of Mr. Yeagley, withregard to additional information to be furnished your Section. Such agreement was reached,as I understand it, in the realization by Mr. Katzenbach that with the present size of the staffof the Council it would be indeed burdensome to furnish your department with itemization ofexpenses of the past two years. A sample itemization was therefore forwarded to you for a

period of approximately three months."03/16/1964 James Weldon FARA letter to Rothenberg "it is requested you advise of your progress in this

matter".04/28/1964 AZC counsel Rothenberg letter to Weldon "Reference is made to my letter of March 16

addressed to Mr. Nathan B. Lenvin."04/30/1964 Assistant AG Yeagley note to Deputy Attorney General Katzenbach "This is the most blatant

stall we have encountered. Do you mind suggesting what we do next because all of us herewould call their records before a grand jury."

05/4/1964 Assistant AG Yeagley note to Katzenbach forwarding 3/16/1964 Rothenberg inquiry "Hereis tickler from Rothenberg about his March 16 letter on the American Zionist Council. Doyou want me to do something on this?"

Lyndon B. Johnson President, Nicholas Katzenbach acting Attorney General

10/07/1964 Acting AG Katzenbach letter to AZC counsel Rothenberg "While we have endeavored to

make our requests as reasonable as possible, we cannot accept your suggestion since theinformation offered is not in compliance with the Act or what we thought our understandingwas with Judge Rifkind."

10/20/1964 Irene Bowman FARA section review of AZC filing for 1962 and 1962 - "sample itemizationdeemed deficient."

10/30/1964 Nathan Lenvin notes October 22, 1964 DOJ-AZC meeting - "Mr. Katzenbach had to excusehimself shortly after the meeting commenced because of urgent business elsewhere, but

before he left he made clear to Mr. Rothenberg that, in response to the latter's assertion thatto submit all of the financial information we had previously requested for a two- to two-and-a-half year period would be a great burden on the subject, we would accept a statement as toa typical three month expenditure projected for the entire period concerned." Assistant AG


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Yeagley notes "They are to include the names for confid[ential] info of the Dept.not forpublic file."

11/04/1964 AZC counsel Rothenberg letter "Pursuant to understanding reached at our meeting...I writeto give you an outline of the information to be submitted."

11/09/1964 Nathan Lenvin FARA section cover memo to Bowman "looks okay to me, please prepare areply"

11/18/1964 J. Walter Yeagley letter to AZC counsel Rothenberg "Your proposed outline of theinformation to be contained in the report appears to be in accordance with our

understanding."11/23/1964 AZC counsel Rothenberg letter to Nathan Lenvin, FARA section - "In accordance with our

understanding I have asked the American Zionist Council to proceed with the preparation ofthe report."

01/19/1965 Irene Bowman FARA section memo to Nathan Lenvin - "To date to my knowledge no suchreport has been submitted."

Lyndon B. Johnson President, Nicholas Katzenbach Attorney General

02/25/1965 Nathan Lenvin FARA memo to files - "The delay, according to Mr. Rothenberg, was causedby the inability of the subject to collect all of the information we wanted in the detail it wasindicated..."

03/02/1965 Harry A. Steinberg, Executive Director AZC cover letter and filing to FARA section "Thereis also enclosed herewith, in duplicate, a listing of persons who have received funds asshown in the record of disbursements. Mr. Rothenberg has requested of you that this listing

be kept separate and apart from the record of disbursements in any public files in yourSection."

03/02/1965 AZC FARA section filing for April 1, 1962 to June 30, 1962 (public)03/02/1965 AZC FARA section filing for April 1, 1962 to June 30, 1962 (non-public)03/23/1965 Irene Bowman, FARA memo that AZC filing is in "substantial compliance" Irene Bowman

handwritten note "I agree with the conclusion that the material be accepted and put into formfor public examination."

03/24/1965 Irene Bowman, FARA retraction and list of AZC filing inadequacies "While it appearspossible to make up a registration statement from documents furnished by a prospectiveregistrant, these documents should furnish all of the information required by the Act to be

stated in a registration statement. The above material, none of which is executed under oath,fails to provide the following information which is material for the purpose of the Act...:"

03/31/1965 Nathan Lenvin file transfer to J. Walter Yeagley - "Attached hereto is the entire file relatingto the American Zionist Council and our efforts to obtain is registration under the terms ofthe Foreign Agents Registration Act...In her memorandum to Files, Mrs. Bowman points outcertain lacunae, which fail to establish all of this material as meeting all of the requirementsfor registration...we were well aware that no full and complete registration statement in theordinary sense would ever be received...only alternative to a refusal to accept what has beensubmitted as compliance with the Act would be to institute prosecutive proceedings, whichwould be impractical...no useful purpose would be served by including these names in thematerial which would be made available for public inspection."

4/08/1965 Nathan Lenvin instruction memo to Ulda Eldred, FARA section "The material filed by theAmerican Zionist Council (AZC) was filed in accordance with an understanding between the

Department and the AZC...If you should receive inquiries as to whether the AZC isregistered under the Act, you should respond in the negative. You should advise, however,that the AZC has filed information with this Section which is available for publicexamination.

05/17/1965 Nathan Lenvin / J. Walter Yeagley notice to files - "...material of the AZC was placed in anexpandable portfolio to distinguish it in appearance from the registration statements whichare filed in manila folders. In the event Mrs. Eldred receives inquiries as to whether theAZC is registered under the Act, she has been instructed to respond in the negative."

05/14/1965 J. Walter Yeagley Yeagley requests closure of AZC case at the FBI "the material does notcomprise a registration statement but does supply basic information regarding the activitiesof the AZC financed in part by the Jewish Agency..."


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05/20/1965 Nathan Lenvin to J. Walter Yeagley on special handling/case closure - Yeagley handwrittennote "OK. This seems to be what attorney Gen[eral] Kennedy and the then Dep[uty] AGKatzenbach had in mind."

06/22/1965 05/17/1965 New York Times article: AZC convenes a major meeting at Jewish Agency NewYork headquarters "revising its program to strengthen every phase of Jewish religious andcultural life in this country....there should be no appeasement at the expense of Israel."FARA section file copy, reviewed by DOJ officials.

11/27/1967

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The American Israel Public Affairs Committee AIPAC applies for a federal tax exemption.

The US Treasury Department grants itbackdated to 1953.

How Zionists Have Dictated US Media Since 22Nov1963

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