The Jews must take the initiative in solving the problem of Arab-Israel relations, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, co-chairman of the Jewish Agency, declared here at a reception given in his honor by the Progressive Party of Israel. Other members of the Agency executive and members of the Israel Cabinet attended the reception.
Dr. Goldmann said that although the Arabs are primarily responsible for the existing hostile situation, they are a static factor while the Jews are the dynamic force in the situation and, therefore, must take the lead in a solution. The veteran Zionist leader said that he did not think that a second round of Arab warfare against Israel was imminent, but stated that “the fact is that Israel cannot remain an island in a sea of enemies.” Israel, he continued, must be integrated into the Middle East area “which is of supreme geo-political importance.”
The Jewish Agency leader warned the Israelis, especially the young generation, that although they now have the support of world Jewry and the friendship and sympathy of the non-Jewish world, they must not take this for granted. Israel more than any country in the world needs the sympathy of world nations, he said, therefore Israel must do everything to win and hold the world’s sympathy.
Dr. Goldmann told the Israelis that they must not expect the Jewish world’s support of Israel will continue “eternally;” this support, he stated, must be won anew daily. He pointed out that if American Jews, because of their feeling of solidarity, contribute $70,000,000 to Israel beside the hundreds of millions of dollars collected for domestic needs, the same sense of solidarity must express itself in Israel’s attitude toward world Jewry.
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.
