The question of what action can be taken to protect the hundreds of thousands of Jews living in Arab countries was the major problem discussed today at the sessions of the political committee of the second convention of the World Jewish Congress.
The committee, headed by Sidney Silverman, British Jewish leader and a Member of Parliament, also considered the problem of human rights and what sanctions can be applied to violators of an international code of human rights. Among the rights which the delegates would like to see guaranteed to Jews in communities throughout the world are the right to immigrate to Israel and the right to develop Hebrew and Yiddish culture in all countries.
Thus far no fundamental disagreement has arisen in the various committees on any major point. Delegates from the Eastern European countries tend to stress the attitude and actions of the Soviet Union in certain fields, but this is not considered a bar to unity. The meetings of the various committees are expected to continue until Sunday, when the next plenary session is anticipated.
ANNOUNCE JEWS TAKE POSSESSION OF 48 SEIZED REFUGEE SHIPS
At last night’s special Palestine session, M. Grabovsky of Israel revealed that when the British evacuated the port of Haifa Wednesday, 48 seized refugee ships which are lying in the Haifa harbor passed into the possession of the Jewish state. He also revealed that it is planned to establish 40 new settlements in various parts of Israel within the immediate future.
Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, president of both the American and World Jewish Congresses, extolled the “immortal military feats of the Haganah.” He stated that he was proud that the United States has recognized Israel bare moments after the Israeli government was proclaimed. He expressed confidence that future Presidents of the United States would be friendly to the Jewish state and called on Britain to return to the “glorious days of the Balfour Declaration.”
Silverman stated that the last three years of British policy on Palestine have been “a source of pain, but the day will come when Britain will remember its traditional role as a protector of email nations.” At that time, he asserted, the friendship between Britain and Israel will reemerge.
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.
