The Soviet Union is an important factor in the Middle East and the West must recognize this, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the Jewish Agency, declared today, adding that Middle East stabilization is not possible without Russia. This fact, he pointed out, is of utmost importance to Israel.
Addressing a press conference, Dr. Goldmann revealed that he had held three long discussions with Premier David Ben Gurion on this subject. He said differences between their views were now “minute. “
Turning to other matters, the World Zionist Organization president said the Jewish Agency executive had discussed in the past few days ways and means of mobilizing the entire Jewish people to support Israel in the present regional crisis.
Dr. Goldmann also gave the press conference a brief report of the World Jewish Congress executive session in Geneva last week, at which he had presided. He underlined that for the first time in a decade, representatives from the Hungarian Jewish community and observers of the Polish Jewish community had attended the WJC session.
Despite the presence of delegations from behind the Iron Curtain, he went on, the WJC parley had adopted unanimous resolutions, reasserting the right of every Jew to migrate to Israel, and urging the Rumanian Government to enable the reunion of Jewish families split between Rumania and Israel.
Dr. Goldmann expressed the hope that Polish Jewry would re-affiliate with the World Jewish Congress and that it would be followed by other communities in Communist countries. He added the hope that ultimately such a development would lead to the opening of the door to contact with Soviet Jews.
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