Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and Dr. Nahum Goldmann concluded today their series of talks on the forthcoming 25th World Zionist Congress with a communique disclosing agreement on priority for several key topics in debate at the Congress. The communique said:
“The Israel Prime Minister and the President of the World Zionist Organization agreed that increasing Aliyah and its encouragement in all countries, the fostering of Hebrew education in Jewish communities outside of Israel and strengthening of Halutiziut must stand in the center of Congress discussions.” The communique also said that the two leaders agreed that the Congress “should also outline practical ways for implementation of these aims.”
The two also agreed, according to the communique, that the Zionist movement “will have to put at the center of its activities immigration and its absorption, Hebrew education and Halutziut.”
In an interview over the Israel radio, Dr. Goldmann declared that the differences of opinion between himself and Mr. Ben-Gurion “are not so great.” However, he stressed his opposition to the idea, projected by the Premier, that it is “the personal duty” of every Zionist to immigrate to Israel.
Dr. Goldmann firmly rejected Mr. Ben-Gurion’s charges that the Zionist Organization has interfered with Jewish immigration to Israel. “It is correct to say,” he declared, “that the Zionist Organization, with other institutions, succeeded in bringing 1,000,000 Jews to Israel. This is a great achievement. But, while engaged in mass immigration, we neglected the free world. Now, with the decline in mass immigration, the time has come to increase immigration from the free countries.”
Moshe Sharett, Israel’s ex-Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister, has decided definitely not to accept a proposal made to him by Dr. Goldmann to share with the latter the co-presidency of the World Zionist Organization, it became known today. Leaders of the dominant Mapai party here, and Dr. Goldmann, have been trying to persuade Mr. Sharett to accept the co-presidency. In refusing the offer, Mr. Sharett notified Mapai that he would be ready to take part in the Zionist world executive, but without a portfolio.
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