Central America

57th General Assembly
November 1983
Houston, Texas

Background

The goals of the United States policy in the Central American countries, consisting of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, should be the achievement of stable and democratic societies. These goals can best be achieved by addressing the sources of instability, massive poverty, social injustice, and illiteracy. Such conditions of deprivation invite subversion from the right and the left.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Union of American Hebrew Congregations:

  1. Calls on the United States government and all other governments to refrain from any action that would destabilize any government in Central America and to condemn terrorist groups such as the PLO, which engage in such activities;
  2. Opposes the use of any country as a staging area for intervention against any other country in the region;
  3. Urges the United States government and all other governments to apply strictly human rights criteria in the granting of military assistance, whether directly or through third parties;
  4. Opposes any direct foreign military intervention in any country of Central America; and
  5. Calls on the government of the United States and all other governments to play a leading role, together with religious organizations, in alleviating the severe poverty of the people in Central America. In such a coalition, the world Jewish community should play an active role.