More than 500 delegates from 40 Jewish communities are expected to attend the founding national assembly of the Independent Zionists of America which will open in New York on April 26, it was announced today by Judge Louis E. Levinthal of Philadelphia following a conference held by the new organization here at which plans for the assembly were adopted.
A resolution opposing any measures calling on Israel for unconditional withdrawal of its troops from the Gaza and Akaba areas was introduced at the conference by Dewey D. Stone and was unanimously adopted. The resolutions reads:
“The moral and political leadership of America should be dedicated to the attainment of peace and cooperation between Israel and the Arab states. We submit that American policy does not serve this objective.
“The continued pursuit of the favor of the Arab states by the offer of armaments and economic subventions without guarantees leading to an Arab-Israel settlement will defeat the attainment of peace. The return of Egyptian forces to the Gaza Strip and the Sinai peninsula and their repossession of bases from which to resume their border raids and blockades is a disservice to world peace, to American interests and to Israel’s security
“We call upon the Eisenhower Administration to assert effective leadership in the United Nations for a clear and just policy which will provide enforceable guarantees to prevent a renewal of Arab hostilities against Israel and. pending such guarantees, we oppose any measures calling on Israel to make unconditional withdrawals of its forces to the prejudices of its security.”
The founding assembly. Judge Levinthal said, will vote on a program, a constitution and a name for the new organization. It will also elect permanent officers. In the meantime, the conference named Ezra Shapiro of Cleveland chairman of the Assembly Committee and Jacob Alkow chairman of the Administrative Committee. Other members appointed to the Administrative Committee were: Samuel Berson, Louis Falk, Dr. Louis Fishbein. Dr. Arthur Lelyveld. Louis P. Rocker and Judah Richards. Samuel Daroff and Joseph Mazer were named co-treasurers of the new group.
Addressing the conference, Lais Lipsky. veteran Zionist leader, outlined the general purposes of the New York organization and indicated how its program would be effectuated. He spoke of the “lack of free discussion in Zionist affairs” and “hoped that our new organization will be one forum where the problems and issues of Zionist life will be freely discussed. ” Mordecai Kidron, number of the Israel delegation to the United Nations, was the guest speaker at the conference. He reviewed the present developments at the United Nations3 in connection with the Arab-Israel issue.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
