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South African Zionist Conference Concludes; Compromise on Party Make-up Achieved

September 16, 1949
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The annual conference of the South African Zionist Federation concluded here yesterday after the delegates had achieved a compromise solution of the question of continuation of the party set-up within the Zionist movement.

The compromise consisted in maintaining a party set-up within the Federation, but of adding six non-party members to the executive which will also have on it 20 representatives of four Zionist parties. The formula was hammered out at caucus meetings outside the convention and then was brought to the session where it was approved unanimously. The new executive will be composed of seven representatives of the United Zionist Party (General Zionists); six Revisionits; five Zionist Socialists; two Mizrachi members and six non-party leaders including Bernard Gering, who was reelected chairman of the Federation.

Meir Grossman, member of the Jewish Agency executive, who was the chief guest speaker at the conference, said he believed that the relationship between the Agency and Israel should be reviewed and that the next World Zionist Congress must work out a clear definition of the scope, tasks, function and rights of the Zionist organization in Israel. Asserting that the Jews of the world are not responsible for the foreign policy of Israel, he pointed out that conditions might arise under which that foreign policy would affect world Jewry more than the existence of the Jewish state.

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