Major Jewish Branches Endorse INF Treaty

The religious bodies of the three major branches of Judaism in the United States have endorsed the proposed INF treaty and urged prompt Senate ratification of the pact.

The six rabbinic and congregational groups, in a statement released by the Synagogue Council of America, also said they hoped the treaty would enhance the new round of Soviet-U.S. talks aimed a nuclear arms reductions.

“We recognize the dangers inherent in unilateral disarmament,” the statement said. “It is our desire, therefore, that both sides develop and extend their mutual verification procedures established in the Intermediate range Nuclear Forces treaty.

“Such procedures will add additional credibility to a new treaty and will help work to the day where mutual honor and trust will govern the affairs of states,” the statement said.

The statement was issued Tuesday after Secretary of State George P. Shultz ended the Administration’s case on behalf of the treaty concluded between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev during the December summit meeting in Washington.

“Commitment to peace represents a basic teaching of Judaism,” said Rabbi Gilbert Klapperman, president of the Synagogue Council.

In endorsing the proposed treaty, which would, for the first time, eliminate an entire classes of nuclear weapons, the Jewish groups join major Protestant groups such as the National Council of Churches and their nation’s Roman Catholic bishops in backing the pact.