500 North American Jewish Leaders Pledge to Help Israel’s Economy

The Israel Air Force welcomed yesterday afternoon the more than 500 American and Canadian Jewish civic, business and professional leaders who arrived in Israel to participate in an international Israel Bond conference which was convened by Premier Golda Meir and Finance Minister Pinhas Sapir to formulate plans whereby the Israel Bond Organization will seek to sell $1 billion in Bonds to finance reconstruction and development efforts in Israel. The El Al jumbo jet which carried the Jewish leaders landed at an Air Force base somewhere in Israel and the delegates witnessed military exercises which dramatized Israel’s need for constant preparedness.

Sam Rothberg, general chairman of the Bonds Organization and head of the delegation, said on arrival of the seven-day conference ending Feb. 2, “We have come to commit ourselves to the strengthening of Israel during this period of momentous decisions. In the light of Israel’s urgent economic needs today, this conference ranks as one of the most crucial ever held. We must think in terms of heightened needs and assure Israel maximum economic strength in the difficult year of the Geneva peace negotiations.” At the air base, Air Force Commander Gen. Benjamin Peled briefed the conference participants at a luncheon in the air base’s dining hall.

Later, In Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Abba Eban told the delegates that Syria holds the key to the opening of the negotiations on the disengagement of forces on the Golan Heights front. “All they have to do,” he said, “is what Israel has already done: provide lists of prisoners of war they hold and accept International Red Cross visits to them.” Eban said the actual exchange of POWs could then be negotiated within the framework of the Geneva peace talks.