Final_Judgment

114 Genesis [53]
share that pessimistic view. Kennedy still hoped for peace in the region and
he continued his efforts. 130
THE ALGERIAN PROBLEM
Although then-Senator John F. Kennedy's 1957 speech calling for
independence for Algeria from France had helped pave the way for that end
result, newly-won Algerian freedom came at great cost. Israel was actively
seeking to undermine the new regime.
On August 14, 1963 the government of Algerian premier Ben Bella
accused Israel of plotting to topple the new Arab regime. The Algerian
authorities captured 20 Algerians and 10 foreigners who were engaged in a
conspiracy to bring down the government.
"Those foreigners are nearly all Israelites," declared the Algerian
information minister. "We are led to believe that we are facing a plot with
far-flung ramifications and that behind it is the hand of Israel which is trying
to oppose the march of our revolution.
"Ben Bella has made clear the Algerian position on the enclave of
imperialism called Israel but which is really Palestine. It is not strange that
they are trying to interfere in our internal affairs." 131
Israel and its allies in the French Secret Army Organization
(OAS)—now officially disbanded, but effectively still functioning—were
determined to reverse the course of history.
This, however, is not the last time in these pages that we will find the
fine hand of Israel and the OAS interfering in the life and work of John F.
Kennedy.
THE LAST PRESS CONFERENCE
Kennedy's efforts to conduct a balanced U.S. Middle East policy were
being frustrated at each and every turn. The bitterness was apparent—on
both sides. As a result of Israel's manipulation of Congress, both the House of
Representatives and the Senate voted in late 1963 to cut off aid to Egypt, a
country central to Kennedy's drive for peace.
This, in effect, temporarily—at least—scuttled JFK's peace efforts. His
hand of friendship to the Arab world and its leaders, Nasser of Egypt in
particular, was being cut off—at the shoulder.
Israel's chief (registered) lobbyist in Washington—I. L. Kenan—described
John F. Kennedy's final Washington press conference.
"Kennedy ruefully surveyed the debris of his Nasser policy at a press
conference on November 14, 1963. He was sharply critical. The Senate
amendment required him "to make a finding which is extremely
complicated," and he did not believe that this language would strengthen our
hand or our flexibility in dealing with the UAR.
"[Kennedy] went on: 'In fact, it would have an opposite effect. I think
it's a very dangerous, untidy world, but we're going to have to live with it;
and I think one of the ways to live with it is to permit us to function.'