Dr. Nahum Goldmann, chairman of the Jewish Agency, tonight described as a “good omen” the statement made yesterday by Selwyn Lloyd, Minister of State of the British Foreign Office, who had proposed utilizing the “good offices” of Britain in mediating the Arab-Israel conflict.
Pointing out, however, that mediation “is incompatible with arming Israel’s Arab neighbors to the teeth, “Dr. Goldmann called for a reconsideration by Great Britain and the United States of their present arms policy in the Middle East. He spoke at a New York metropolitan area conference of the American Zionist Council at the Hotel Astor, which was attended by several hundred persons representing the eight Zionist organizations in this country which are affiliated with the Council.
Rabbi Irving Miller, chairman of the Zionist Council, who presided, also. hailed the British announcement and expressed the hope that the United States would associate itself with these efforts to bring about lasting peace in the Middle East. Another speaker was Dr. Giora Josephthal, treasurer of the Jewish Agency who described the Jewish situation in North Africa.
Dr. Goldmann pointed out that he was speaking on behalf of Israel’s sympathizers throughout the world. He added that he “had no authority to reflect, and did not reflect, any official Israel opinion on the subject, although Israel’s long desire for peace talks with the Arabs is a matter of public record. Recent American and British arms policy inadvertently defeated this aim, he pointed out.
“It is unfair to assume that the new American policy is motivated by any hostility to Israel, but this does not necessarily make American policy more palatable and more sound, ” Dr. Goldmann continued. “America is seeking to fill the vacuum existing in the Near East. It therefore pursues a policy of intensive rapprochement with the Arab states through increasing their military strength.
“What this policy has failed to do is to guard against upsetting the balance in the Middle East and at least to complement the arming of the Arabs with an equally intense effort by the Western Powers to induce them to make peace with Israel and to include Israel with full rights in any program of defense for the Near East. This has not been done to date.”
Rabbi Miller, who introduced the speakers, said: “It is encouraging to note that British Minister of State, Mr. Selwyn Lloyd, lost no time in rejecting the Arab attempt to brand Israel as an aggressor, and in calling upon the Arab States to enter into direct negotiations with Israel with a view to settlement of outstanding-differences. We heartily welcome this move by the British Foreign Office as a statesmanlike step towards relaxation of tensions in the Middle East, and we hope that our own government will speedily associate itself with these efforts now being made to lay the foundations for lasting peace in the area.”
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