Dr. Nahum Goldmann president of the World Jewish Congress, today issued a statement here declaring that he never suggested that Jewish communities throughout the world should mediate an Arab-Israel peace. “On the contrary,” he said, “I always underlined the elementary fact that peace should be achieved by direct Arab-Israel talks.”
The Jewish leader issued this statement in reply to remarks made by Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abba Eban in Tel Aviv in which he referred to Dr. Goldmann’s press conference in New York on June 10 at which the latter dealt with a variety of Jewish issues, including the question of the Arab-Israel deadlock.
In his statement today, Dr. Goldmann said he had never suggested that Jewish communities throughout the world should mediate the deadlock. He declared that what he did say was that such Jewish communities, especially in countries containing important Arab minorities with some influence on their home countries, could help prepare an atmosphere of goodwill and understanding which could pave the way to direct Israel-Arab talks.
With regard to his assertion that “the road to peace lies through Moscow,” Dr. Goldmann said he wanted to make it clear that in that comment he did not have in mind any Soviet mediation between Israel and the Arabs. What he did mean, he explained, was that the Soviet Government could, if it wished, make it clear to the Arab rulers that they could not expect help nor arms from the Soviet bloc in the long run unless they were ready to accept the fact of Israel’s existence and to discuss with Israel their differences.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
