Member organizations of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations that have overseas travel programs have met under the aegis of the Presidents Conference to examine the possibility of a boycott or other economic action against Spain following the Madrid government’s enthusiastic reception of Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasir Arafat earlier this month, it was reported today.
Noting that Spain was the only West European country that has no diplomatic relations with Israel — and the first to formally receive Arafat the Presidents Conference called together representatives of its constituents that offer foreign travel to their members for a discussion of the possibility of action to demonstrate the Jewish community’s concern with official Spanish attitudes toward Israel and the Middle East.
A decision was taken to await the, response to a formal protest filed by the Presidents Conference at a face-to-face meeting in the Spanish Embassy in Washington that Presidents Conference chairman Theodore Mann held on Sept. 13 with Spanish Ambassador Jose Llado. Llado, who left for consultations with his government in Madrid that night, promised to transmit the Presidents Conference protest personally to the Spanish Foreign Minister. A reply by Llado is expected shortly.
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