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Ben-gurion to Address Zionist Congress in Personal Capacity

December 5, 1960
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The Israeli Cabinet decided at its weekly meeting here today that, if Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion–or any other member of the Cabinet–speaks at the forth coming World Zionist Congress, such a speaker will appear as an individual and not as a spokesman for the Government.

The Cabinet ruled that a representative of the Government will appear at the Congress only as one welcoming the Congress on behalf of Israel–and not as a proponent of the Government’s view regarding Zionism. In that way, the Cabinet agreed, the Government will not be in a position to “censor” any of its members, since Government leaders will utter only their personal opinions.

As a result of that decision, it was believed that Mr. Ben-Gurion has now been freed to reiterate before the Congress, which convenes December 27, his criticism against the Zionist movement.

After the Cabinet session, Mr. Ben-Gurion presided at a two-hour meeting of the Coordinating Board which is the joint body of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Zionist Organization, expressed his “satisfaction” with arrangements made at that meeting to convene the Board at regular intervals.

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