Blames Lack of Jewish Unity for Delay

Addressing the Jewish Agency Administrative Committee, which opened its session this morning, Dr. Weizmann attributed the British Government’s delay in appointing the Palestine Partition Commission, to some extent, to the lack of unity in Jewish quarters.

He sharply attacked anti-Zionists, asserting that they regarded formation of a Jewish State as a calamity for the Jewish people. He accused certain assimilationist in different countries of doing their utmost to create the impression that the Jewish people did not want a Jewish State.

“these people, who did not represent Jewish public opinion, but who happened to be in social contact with influential political quarters, set themselves up as spokesmen of Jewry and created difficulties,” he said. “As soon as they saw that the Peel Commission talked of a Jewish State, they regarded it as a catastrophe. These Jews have their Winter sleep and only wake up at certain periods.”

In order to obstruct Jewish national hopes, there has been a regeneration of old methods and backstairs politics, Dr. Weizmann charged, attacking the so-called “peace-loving Jews” who, he said, talked peace with the Arabs at the expense of Zionist hopes and who were prepared to talk on the basis of limiting the Jews in Palestine to 30 percent of the population.

The Jewish Agency Executive has made clear to the British Government that the Jews will not accept anything less than the basis for a Jewish State proposed by the Peel Commission, he reported, in his comprehensive review of the political situation and activities of the Executive since last September’s meeting of the Jewish Agency Council in Zurich.

Berl Locker presided at today’s meeting. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, of Geneva, supplemented Dr. Weizmann’s political report. Eliezer Kaplan, of Jerusalem, treasurer of the Agency, stressed the necessity to increase financial resources to fight the economic crisis in Palestine. A political commission of twelve was elected to draft political resolutions.