Dr. Nahum Goldmann, who said that one of his main reasons for declining re-election to another term as president of the World Zionist Organization was to be free to speak his mind, exercised that freedom at a press conference here today. The 74-year-old world Jewish leader voiced some sharp criticism of Israeli foreign policy. He also took a dim view of the future of the Zionist movement which he had headed until a week ago.
Dr. Goldmann urged the Israel Government to state its proposals for a peace settlement with the Arabs now, even if that meant wrecking the national coalition Government that Prime Minister Levi Eshkol put together during the war crisis of May, 1967. Dr. Goldmann spoke at the Tzavta Club, an organization sponsored by the leftist labor party, Mapam. He said that American diplomats with whom he was in touch were getting “weary” of Israel’s insistence that she would reveal her peace plans only at the negotiating table with the Arabs. He told questioners that he was convinced that the road to Middle East peace passes through Moscow and that he would continue to maintain his contacts with Soviet bloc diplomats.
Dr. Goldmann said that he doubted whether the Zionist movement could be revived though he would do his best to help his “good friend” Aryeh L. Pincus, chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive.
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