The Jewish Community Council of Los Angeles today became the first American Jewish group to urge the Shell Oil Company to reconsider its projected withdrawal from sales operations in Israel.
The resolution, adopted on behalf of the 400 constituent organizations of the Jewish Community Council, with a claimed total membership of 400, 000 Jews, asserted that the projected termination “constitutes an economic blow to the State of Israel and was induced by pressure from governments of neighboring Arab countries.”
Noting that “this demonstration of yielding to Arab demands for economic boycott of Israel has been deplored by leaders of all British political parties, the resolution said the withdrawal decision would merely increase Arab intransigence, strengthen the hand of Arab leaders who believe Israel can be destroyed through economic means and may ultimately lead to a renewed conflagration in the Middle East with its disastrous results to the peace of the world.”
The resolution declared that the Jewish Community Council “officially deplores the action of the Shell Oil Company and urges it to reconsider its policy of yielding to the Arab economic boycott.”
The resolution expressed the “deep concern” of the organization “to the officials of the Shell Oil Company to the British Embassy, and to United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold.”
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