For the first time, a British Prime Minister has agreed to address the Board of Deputies of British Jews. James Callaghan will appear at a special session of the Board on Oct. 23 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in which Britain undertook to support the Jewish claim to a national home in Palestine. It is also believed to be the first time that a serving British Prime Minister has agreed to appear on a public platform to commemorate an event which still stirs anger in the Arab world.
Callaghan agreed to address the community in response to a personal invitation from Lord Fisher of Camden, president of the Board, who will preside at the meeting.
Greville Janner, vice president of the Board and a Labor Party MP, said that by accepting the invitation, the Prime Minister would be “paying a compliment of the highest order” to the community and to the State of Israel. The last occasion on which Callaghan addressed a Jewish gathering was last year when he appeared at a Labor friends of Israel dinner in South Wales to honor Gideon Rafael then the Israeli Ambassador to Britain.
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Callaghan’s decision to attend the Balfour Declaration event is also noteworthy because, at past Balfour anniversary celebrations, in Britain and in Israel, British governments have usually preferred to be represented by second-rank ministers.
It is also significant since there are considerable differences between Britain and Israel, over the notion of a “Palestinian Arab homeland” which the British government supported at the recent. London summit meeting of the nine European Economic Community nations. Some observers here are speculating that Callaghan may use the occasion to seek Anglo-Jewry’s understanding for this new Palestinian policy despite its unpopularity in Israel. The Board of Deputies has itself voiced its dismay at this policy.
A separate commemoration of the Balfour Declaration anniversary will be staged by the Zionist Federation; to which the original historic document was addressed. It will hold a dinner to be addressed by leaders of all three British political parties.
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