Jewish Agency Welcomes U.S. Intention to Send Observer to London Parley on Palestine

The Jewish Agency welcomes the announcement by Secretary of State James F. Byrnes that the United States is ready to send an observer to the conference on Palestine provided that Jews and Arabs participate, “as a practical expression of American interest in the solution of the Palestine problem.” it was stated here today by Moshe Shertok, head of the political department of the Jewish Agency, addressing a press conference.

Shertok added, however, that his statement was not to be interpreted as an indication of the ultimate action to be taken by the Congress on the question of participation in the London conference.

The Agency political chief denied that either he or David Ben Gurion, chairman of the Agency’s executive, had received requests from Palestine to return immediately owing to the gravity of the security situation there, as had been reported from Jerusalem.

Asked whether there was any truth in a report from Cairo that the Jewish Agency had received an invitation from the Soviet Government to send representatives to conduct negotiations in Moscow on the Palestine issue, Shertok said that the report was baseless.

The head of the Agency’s political department said that the Zionist Congress will concentrate on the following four points: 1. Reaffirmation or modification of the present policy of the world Zionist executive which was elected seven years ago at the last World Congress, and held in Geneva on the eve of the outbreak of the war; 2. Whether or not the Jewish Agency should participate in the London Conference on Palestine; 3. Elections of a new executive; and 4. Organization and direction of Zionist work in Palestine.

He said that the 370 delegates present at the Congress had been elected by 2,000,000 Jews throughout the world as against 1,200,000 seven years ago. He emphasized that it is significant that there should be this increase although the Jews have lost a third of their number in Europe.