New York Parley Expected to Endorse Knesset Decision on Germany

The belief that the policy committee of the Conference on Jewish Claims Against Germany, which is to meet in New York next Sunday, will endorse wholeheartedly the position taken by the Israel Government and the Knesset with regard to negotiations with Germany on reparations for Nazi-looted Jewish property, was expressed here today in a statement issued by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, co-chairman of the Jewish Agency executive.

“The vote of the Knesset,” Dr. Goldmann said in his statement, “showed that the majority of the members were moved by a realistic appraisal of the fact and of the justice of Israel’s claims against Germany. The policy committee of the Conference on Jewish Claims Against Germany, comprising representatives of some 20 central Jewish bodies in seven countries, will review the Knesset decisions and lay plans for the future.

“I am certain that the committee will endorse wholeheartedly the position taken by the Government and Parliament of Israel, and will be prepared to cooperate fully with Israel representatives in seeing to it that Germany repay, to the utmost limit of her capabilities, her material debt to the Jewish people. I want to take this opportunity to repeat what Foreign Minister Sharett told the Knesset during the recent debate in Jerusalem. The fact that we may negotiate with the Germans to achieve some repayments of huge material losses suffered by the Jewish people, involves no measure of forgiveness. We are simply claiming what is ours.”