From “Martin Luther King Jr.’s special bond with Israel,” by John Lewis,
San Francisco Chronicle, January 21, 2002:
Long before the plight of the Jews in the
Soviet Union was on the front pages, he raised his voice. “I cannot stand idly by, even though I happen to live in the
United States and even though I happen to be an American Negro and not be concerned about what happens to the Jews in Soviet
Russia. For what happens to them happens to me and you, and we must be concerned.”
During his lifetime King witnessed the birth of
Israel and the continuing struggle to build a nation. He consistently reiterated his stand on the Israel- Arab conflict, stating “
Israel‘s right to exist as a state in security is uncontestable.” It was no accident that King emphasized “security” in his statements on the
Middle East.
On March 25, 1968, less than two weeks before his tragic death, he spoke out with clarity and directness stating, “peace for
Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see
Israel as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy.
