Fascist Attacks on Zionism Split Italian Jewish Leaders

The Executive of the Union of Jewish Communities resigned today in a controversy between Zionist and non-Zionist members sharpened by recent Fascist attacks on the Jewish homeland movement.

An Italian Government commissioner will be appointed to administer the affairs pending liquidation of the crisis, it was announced.

Divergencies between Zionists and non-Zionists became acute after a section of the Fascist press and certain Fascist leaders had charged that Zionism was an unpatriotic movement since it included Jews in many countries and since it depended on Great Britain, mandatory power in Palestine.

Considerable attention was attracted by a book, “The Jews of Italy,” by Parliament Deputy Paolo Orano, a prominent Fascist, which declared that “it is impossible to be good Italians and Zionists at the same time.”