Ah historic event took place at the AFL-CIO 12th convention here when the leaders of the Israeli and Egyptian labor federations met on the same platform, clasped hands and spoke of peace and friendship to the more than 2000 delegates representing America’s trade unionists.
Yeruham Meshel, Secretary General of His tad rut and Saad Muhammed Ahmad, the Egyptian Minister of Labor and president of the Egyptian trade union federation, were introduced by AFLCIO president George Meany who had invited both of them to appear at the convention.
As the Egyptian and the Israeli shook hands warmly there was silence for about five seconds as if the assembled delegates could not believe what they saw. Then a roar of cheers and pounding applause rocked the convention hall as the assembly rose to its feet in a prolonged ovation.
The occasion last Friday prompted Albert K. Herling, president of the International Labor press Association to write, in his account of the convention: “Never in the decades that this reporter has been attending conventions of the AFL and the CIO and then those of the merged organization had there been such an emotionally charged atmosphere.” He said it was as if the diverse audience, representing all branches of labor in the U.S. “had through some inexplicable chemical and physical process been transformed into one fiercely racing heart responding to a historical miracle.”
CONTRIBUTION TO CONTINUING DIALOGUE
Meany said the intention of his invitations to Meshel and Ahmad was American labor’s effort to keep the Israeli-Egyptian dialogue going. Meshel, after describing the impact of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s visit to Israel last month and the response of the Israeli people, said “the problem now is to have a continuing process of dialogue, a fruitful continuing process.” He expressed the hope that “very soon we will see a delegation from the trade unions of Egypt to our country and one from our country to Egypt.”
Meshel observed that “if peace will come, perhaps after this historical moment of our being together on the same platform, Israeli trade unionists and distinguished guests from Egypt, this friendship between workers will continue and perhaps it is this which will bring a lasting and just peace in the Middle East.”
Ahmad referred to Sadat’s visit to Israel as a “bold and courageous step” that represented a “realistic attitude towards a just peace in the Middle East.” He stressed the need to end the “scourge of war” from which the region has suffered too long. “This is the time to employ all our efforts and strength towards building our country and bringing about a secure and happy life for all peoples of the region,” the Egyptian said.
Ahmad said that during Sadat’s visit “I sensed a good feeling among the Israeli people and their desire for true peace. We fully believe that the entire Arab people are also keen on establishing peace…We will work towards the final elimination of war which marked the history of the Middle East for too many years.”
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.
