Eshkol Tells World Parley of Journalists Jewish Press Has Vital Role to Play

Prime Minister Levi Eshkol in an address at the opening of the world conference of Jewish Journalists here last night told the 75 delegates from 13 countries why he believed the Jewish press is a vital instrument of information and education and what he thought its functions should be with respect to Israel and the Jewish communities of the diaspora. The conference will continue for eight days.

Mr. Eshkol also told his audience that there is little prospect of peace in the Middle East as long as the Arabs remain enslaved by their negative attitudes and refuse to recognize reality. He specifically warned Jordan to desist from her current assaults along the Israel-Jordan cease-fire line.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Jewish press, in no matter which language it is published, is the only medium common to Jews in all countries. It has a function of prime importance to perform in preserving the bonds and creating a common spiritual atmosphere for Jewry the world over, he said. He then suggested several tasks for the Jewish press “to help Israel in her fight for peace.” First, he said, “it can help Jews understand the true situation here and the reasons why there is no peace. It should explain over and over again the basic truth of Israel’s historic rights to this land. It should participate in the struggle against the anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish tendencies of the Soviet Union and its satellites. And it must foster love of Israel among the masses of the people and try to implant in its readers a clear and proud Jewish consciousness founded on an understanding of Judaism in all of its aspects and manifestations.”

Aryeh Pincus, chairman of the Jewish Agency, told the assembled journalists that their newspapers can play an immense role in maintaining the spirit of unity manifest by Jews all over the world during the events of last Spring.