High Commissioner Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope yesterday appointed Israel Rokach mayor of Tel Aviv to succeed the late Meier Dizengoff, disregarding an 8 to 7 recommendation by the all-Jewish city’s Municipal Council favoring the selection of Moshe Chelouche, a councillor.
It had been reported earlier that Nathan D. Kaplan, a former Chicago attorney, had been selected by Sir Arthur.
The appointment of Rokach, who was formerly vice-mayor, is in accordance with the municipal election laws by which the Government appoints a mayor after recommendation by the council.
Dov Hos, member of the Municipal Council, was appointed vice-mayor.
Mr. Rokach expressed confidence in an interview today that he would find a means of cooperation with Laborite Vice-Mayor Dov Hos and Laborite Municipal Councillors.
Palestine newspapers were sharply divided in their views on his selection. Davar, Laborite Hebrew daily, described Mr. Rokach’s appointment as an attack by the Government on municipal autonomy. The Palestine Post, the Holy Land’s only English-language daily, advocated acceptance of the appointment by the population to avoid dissension in view of the national political situation.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
