“dangerous Obstacles” to Israel’s Settlement Program Reported

A total sum of $17, 000, 000–the major portion of it provided by American Jews–has been spent during the first third of this year by the United Israel Appeal and its constituent agencies for the rehabilitation and resettlement of needy immigrants, Rudolf G. Sonneborn, UIA national chairman, announced here today in a report to the organization’s board of directors.

He warned, however, that the actual expenditures had fallen about 43 percent short of the budgetary schedule for this period. The UIA budget, which is mainly financed through the United Jewish Appeal campaign, was set at $91, 620, 000 for the year including $30,000, 000 for the first four months of 1954.

“The serious lag in expenditures, due to the shortage of funds, ” Mr. Sonneborn declared,” has created some dangerous obstacles to the resettlement and upbuilding program. Of primary concern, as a result of the tense border situation, is the fact that not more than 20 of 180 border villages have even such elementary safeguards as roads, floodlights or telephones. These safety measures are a vital necessity both as a deterrent to hostile border raids and as a source of security when they occur. “

In his report Mr. Sonneborn disclosed that more than one-half of the expenditures for the first four months of this year–a total of $10, 000,000–was spent for agricultural development. Limited funds precluded the establishment of any new settlements during the first third of this year, ” Mr. Sonneborn stressed, “but important progress was made in consolidating existing settlements and in bringing some 2, 000 people onto the land.”