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American Jewish Conference Representatives Reject Bid for United Jewish Front

May 8, 1945
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The American Jewish Conference, supported by the representatives of the World Jewish Congress and the Jewish Agency for Palestine, yesterday rejected the proposal of the delegates of the Synagogue Council of America to negotiate for the establishment of a united front among the various Jewish groups here.

At the same time, it was announced that the American Jewish Conference and the American Jewish Committee have submitted separate letters to Secretary of State Stettinius expressing the hope that Jewish rights with regard to Palestine will not be overlooked in any formula which the security conference will adopt in connection with the projected system for international trusteeships for mandated areas.

At a press conference yesterday, Henry Monsky revealed that the American Jewish Conference representatives are carefully studying the British, American and other drafts on trusteeship plans and, within a few days, will make public their observations on the subject, Meanwhile, he said, the American Jewish Conference, in its letter to Mr. Stettinius, has advanced the following demands:

1- “Any plan for international trusteeships in succession to the existing mandate system of the League of Nations should be sufficiently flexible and broad in scope to permit within its framework the solution of the Palestine problem in accordance with the underlying intent and purpose of the Balfour Declaration and the Palestine mandate.

2- “Nothing shall be included which would be inconsistent with or prejudicial to the special rights of the Jewish people under the Balfour Declaration and the Palestine Mandate, and all such rights should be expressly reserved and safeguarded.”

The representatives of the American Jewish Conference also requested that Mr. Stettinius arrange a meeting for them with the members of the American delegation so that they may discuss this problem. Such a meeting will probably be held the early part of this week.

The letter of the American Jewish Committee which was signed by Judge Joseph M. Proskauer, supports the demands of the American Jewish Conference. It reads as follows:

“The position of the American Jewish Committee about final solution of the Palestine problem has been stated in our memorandum filed with you. Nevertheless, regardless of our general position as there stated, we are glad to express our accord with the requests of the interim committee of the American Jewish Conference that it be made affirmatively clear that no action of the San Francisco Conference will work to the prejudice of existing rights of the Jews in respeat to Palestine, or to the prejudice of the existing rights of Jews to immigrate to Palestine.”

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