A resolution calling upon all countries which still forbid emigration of Jews to Israel to halt such denial of “historic rights” was adopted here today by the Actions Committee of the World Zionist Organization. The resolution, specifically naming the Soviet Union among the countries forbidding the exit of Jews who wish to go to Israel, called upon the discriminating countries not only to recognize the rights of the Jews to emigrate but also to recognize the humanitarian aspect of the reunification of families.
The Actions Committee, policy-making body of the W.Z.O. between sessions of the World Zionist Congresses, adopted the immigration resolution among others passed at the closing session of its week-long meeting here. Other resolutions called for strengthening every aspect of world Zionist activity and for the placing of major emphasis on the broadening of immigrant-absorption operations in Israel, in view of increased immigration into this country.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the W.Z.O., told the closing session that greater effort toward increased American Jewish immigration to Israel was needed on the part of the American Jewish community.
A subcommittee of the Actions Committee engaged in a hot debate on the attacks made against the Zionist movement by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. The group adopted a sharp resolution criticizing Mr. Ben-Gurion, but decided not to present that draft to the Actions Committee as a whole.
BEN-GURION SAYS HE DOES NOT CONSIDER HIMSELF A ZIONIST
Mr. Ben-Gurion himself did not appear at the meeting of the Actions Committee but sent a letter to the closing session, restating his views in regard to the Zionist movement. In the letter, he stated: “As the Zionist Organization members and leadership declare that Zionism does not impose the duty of personal immigration, I cannot consider myself a Zionist. But Zionism is not my property, and those who wish to call themselves Zionists may do so.”
He again proposed the change of the name of the World Zionist Organization into the World Jewish Organization, imposing upon its members these obligations: Giving a Hebrew education to the children of members; investing in Israeli enterprises; sending members’ children for at least one year’s study in Israel; and organizing all Jewry for the achievement of these aims.
Mr. Ben-Gurion noted in his letter that he did not include, among the duties of members of the proposed WJO, the duty of encouraging pioneering emigration to Israel “because I do not believe that an organization which does not obligate its own members to emigration to Israel can influence youth abroad to emigrate to Israel.” Furthermore, he charged, the WZO is not fulfilling its obligation, undertaken in its charter, to mobilize the Jewish people for the cause of Israel.
In a brief reply, Dr. Goldmann rejected Mr. Ben-Gurion’s charges, declaring: “The personal obligation of Aliyah was never a pre-requisite to membership in the Zionist movement, even in the days when the Zionist movement was headed by Ben-Gurion. The Zionist movement spurred the Jewish people into activity for the idea of the rebirth of the Jewish State and to work for Israel — and this remains Zionism’s task.”
Rejecting also the Ben-Gurion charge that Zionism has not met the duties imposed upon it by the WZO charter, Dr. Goldmann observed: “Much has been done in this direction, and much more could have been achieved if Ben-Gurion, instead of indulging in letter writing and placing obstacles, were to lend a helping hand.”
SHARETT EXPRESSES “DEEP REGRET” OVER BEN-GURION’S STAND
Moshe Sharett, chairman of the Jewish Agency executive, expressed “deep regret” over Mr. Be-Gurion’s reiteration of his stand. “If originally Ben-Gurion had denied the Zionist Organization’s right to exist after the establishment of the State of Israel,” he said, “the Premier recently began questioning the historical right of the Zionist movement’s part in the founding of the State. Every one knows that Ben-Gurion does not express the opinion of the
However, Mr. Sharett said, he did not believe that the World Zionist executive must always react to such Ben-Gurion announcements. He made it clear that “this regrettable situation” does not have any connection with the functioning of the joint Israel Government-Jewish Agency Coordinating Board.
“In the name of all members of the executive,” he stated, “I should like to state that the Coordinating Board has evinced a full measure of coordination and collaboration, and I have no criticism to level at the nature of its activities. Since my work in the executive, I have been in the position to appreciate fully the work done by all members of the Board, including the Prime Minister, who serves as the chairman.”
The Actions Committee adopted a resolution calling for the establishment of a joint Jewish Agency-State of Israel “supreme immigration authority.” This proposed agency was called upon also to promote Israel legislation which would grant to middle-class immigrants rights equal to those given by Israel to large investors.
A proposal that the Herut Party be admitted to membership in the Jewish Agency executive was unanimously postponed by the Actions Committee for action by the High Court of the World Zionist Congress. The proposal for such postponement was made by Dr. Goldman after Pinhas Rosen, one of the leaders of the Liberal Party in Israel, had stated that the Actions Committee was not authorized to add members to the Agency executive.
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.
