Dr. Chaim Weizmann, addressing the annual conference of the British Zionist Federation today, expressed the “belief” that the “White Paper will not survive the war,” and indicated that important developments concerning Palestine were imminent.
Pointing out that “the political situation in regard to Palestine today is reminiscent of the situation on the eve of the Issuance of the Balfour Declaration,” Dr. Weizmann declared that “I am unable to indulge in speculations, but I think something is growing, and may happen sooner or later. It is still in the melting pot.” He asserted that the White Paper has not achieved its purpose of appeasing the Arab and has hampered the war effort, and deprived refugees of sanctuary.”
Declaring that more than 2,000,000 Jews will need a home in Palestine after the war, the world Zionist leader indicated that he rejected the partition scheme which has been broached recently. He stated that while Palestine has vast unsettled territories in the South, it has its water in the North, making it impossible to out the country in two. “This is our answer,” he continued “to some friends who are offering us the Negev. We do not want a state merely for the sake of a state, but want to settle a maximum number of people” Dr. Weizmann admitted that “there may be a transition period” before Jewish statehood is achieved.
He called on Jews in Britain and American to redouble their efforts in behalf of Palestine and voiced the hope “for a change in attitude by Russian Jewry.” Dr. Weizmann attacked proposals that refugees now in Palestine will want to return to Europe after the war, declaring that “Europe has been poisoned by a kind of anti-Semitism which it will take a generation to eradicate.”
Other speakers at today’s session of the Zionist conference included Dr. Nahum Goldmann, Prof. Selig Brodetsky, Barnett Janner, Phineas Horowits and Berl Locker. Mr. Locker, who wound up the discussions, stressed that “all responsible Zionists reject partition which is only a rumor which need not be discussed.”
DEMAND JEWISH FIGHTING FORCE TO HELP LIBERATE JEWS OF EUROPE
Following conclusion of the political debate, the meeting adopted a resolution demanding the creation of a “Jewish fighting force to participate in the battle of Europe and help in the liberation of Jews and other enslaved peoples.” The convention sent greetings to the Jews of Russia expressing the hope that “Russian Jewry will take its rightful place in the upbuilding of Palestine.” Greetings were also sent to Jews of America lauding their support of the Zionist demand that Palestine be established as a Jewish Commonwealth.
The convention emphasized in one of its resolutions that Zionists in England would like to see a Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine incorporated in the British Commonwealth. It reaffirmed the Jews’ desire to cooperate with the Arabs, assuring that there will be no discrimination against them in a Jewish Commonwealth and that they will be given opportunities for local communal self-government.
Insisting that the White Paper must be withdrawn, the convention stressed that immigration into Palestine must be placed under the direction of the Jewish Agency. The United Nations were asked in this resolution to intervene for the opening of Palestine’s doors to Jews from Nazi-Europe. The resolution also demanded that the Jewish refugees who were deported from Palestine to the Island of Mauritius as illegal immigrants be returned to Palestine.
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.
