Coalition Between Mapai in Israel and General Zionists Abroad Urged by Dr. Goldmann

Dr. Nahum Goldmann, chairman of the American section of the Jewish Agency, addressing the opening session of the European conference of General Zionists here today, said that a “coalition is necessary between the Mapai in Israel and the General Zionists in the Diaspora.” The General Zionists, he added, must be “prepared for an honest alliance, which is possible only through goodwill and mutual understanding.”

Warning against the “dangerous illusion” that Zionism had “become useless following creation of the state of Israel,” Dr. Goldmann said the experience of the last two years has shown that “Israel alone cannot fulfill the aim of Zionism–that is, the ingathering of exiles–and Jews throughout the world must be made conscious of their responsibility towards Israel.”

This consciousness, Dr. Goldmann declared, is “strengthened through political parties which form a “necessary link between Zionists abroad and Israel.” He added: “The cooperation of the Government of Israel with the Jewish Agency must be based on an honest coalition between labor in Israel and Zionists in the Galut.”

Earlier, Dr. Goldmann said that the recent emergency economic conference of Israel and American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem made Americans aware of the magnitude of the problem facing Israel and convinced them that a campaign in behalf of the Jewish state cannot be conducted merely along humanitarian lines but must be based on constructive conceptions.

He also expressed the opinion that the prospects are good for an enlarged fund-raising and bond-selling campaign in the United States and said that once it is decided to float a bond issue, it will take at least six months to get it under way, since arrangements must be made in many countries. The bond issue will not be confined to the U.S., he added.