Goldmann Takes Issue with Golda Meir over Passport for W.j.c. Official

Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Jewish Congress, today took issue with Israel’s Foreign Minister Golda Meir who originally ordered not to renew the Israeli passport of Joseph Golan, an official of the World Jewish Congress, because of dissatisfaction with his activities abroad, but later–following Dr.Goldmann’s intervention–agreed to renew it for one year only.

The Israel Foreign Minister, it was reported, objected especially to Mr. Golan’s activities at the past session of the United Nations General Assembly. It was understood that Mr. Golan had active contacts with North African leaders and also with leaders of the FLN, the Moslem movement for an independent Algeria. Emphasizing that “no citizen of Israel, or of any democratic country, should be denied a passport unless found guilty of the law,” Dr. Goldmann declared:

“I take note, with satisfaction, of the statement of the Foreign Minister that differences of opinion on political issues between her and myself have nothing to do with the difficulties made to Mr. Golan in getting his passport renewed. I take the opportunity to state that the Foreign Ministry of Israel, with whom the World Jewish Congress has always maintained contact on matters of common interest, has never tried to determine the policies of the World Jewish Congress, “The Israeli Government understands fully that the raison d’etre of the World Jewish Congress, representing so many Jewish communities in the world for united action, is based on its complete independence of Israel and its policies. But it is self-evident that many Jewish problems are, naturally, of primary interest both to Israel and to the World Jewish Congress. The permanent contact with Israel and an attempt to work out a common policy on problems of common interest is in the nature of things.

CONSIDERS DIFFICULTIES IN RENEWAL OF PASSPORT A SERIOUS PROBLEM

“As for the difficulties made in renewing the passport of Mr. Golan and the final decision to issue the passport only for one year, which the Minister of the Interior decided upon at the request of the Foreign Ministry, I view this as a very serious problem. It has nothing to do with the personal case of Mr. Golan, who, anyhow, after eight years of absence from Israel wanted to go back, at least for a certain time, and work for the Israel executive of the World Jewish Congress.

“However, there are two other fundamental questions involved. First is the implication, which some may read into the Foreign Ministry’s action, that citizens of Israel working in personal capacity in international organizations and bodies are expected to carry out their duties in line with the official views of the Israel Government. Mr. Golan, in his activities, was speaking and acting only on behalf of the World Jewish Congress, and he never claimed otherwise.

“It is not necessary, I think, to discuss in detail the fact that, often in the past, citizens of other countries–Jews as well as non-Jews–spoke up and worked for the cause of Zionism and Israel even when the line they took was not favored by their respective governments. It might be well to consider whether the refusal to extend Mr. Golan’s passport may not present a precedent undesired by those who have the good of Israel and of the Jewish people at their heart.

DENIES THAT W.J.C. OFFICIAL WAS A ‘SECURITY RISK’S FOR ISRAEL

“The second issue is the right which the Government of Israel seems to assume, to deny to an Israeli citizen a passport not because he has in any way violated the law but because, as I was told, he is a ‘security risk.’ In my best opinion, there was nothing in Mr. Golan’s actions which could make him a ‘security risk’ within the terms used in a free, democratic society. Neither has such a charge officially been made and, indeed, never did the Israel Government prefer such formal charges in court or otherwise.

“If the right to denya passport to somebody considered as ‘security risk’ in the opinion of a member of the Israel Government is upheld, every Israeli who has to do political work outside of Israel can be denied this possibility by the simple administrative act of refusing him a passport.

“I hope that those who are interested in maintaining the image of Israel as a truly democratic and free country will study this matter and make sure that every citizen has a right to a passport unless he is found guilty of violations of the law, and that this principle be made the basis of the actual practice on behalf of the Minister of Interior.”

(In Jerusalem, Mrs. Meir declined to discuss the nature of Mr. Golan’s activities which prompted her action, She said that if requested to do so, she would give a full report to the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee of the Israel Parliament. She stated that on several occasions she had discussed Mr. Golan’s activities with Dr. Goldmann and Mr. Golan himself, She denied that her action constituted a violation of a citizen’s democratic rights, stating that the Foreign Ministry considered its action was warranted. She said that Mr. Golan had the option of requesting an “order nism.”)