Goldmann Urges U.S. to Start Drive for Arab-Israel Peace

Discrimination by the Western Powers against Israel in defense arrangements for the Middle East were assailed today by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, Jewish Agency chairman, addressing a plenary session of the American Zionist Council, representative body of all Zionist groups in the U.S.

"The general political situation affecting Israel may remain critical for some time to come, Dr. Goldmann said. "We may witness modifications and alterations of policy, tactical advances and tactical retreat, but no basic change until the Western Powers begin to drive courageously and imaginatively toward the goal of an Arab-Israel peace. The methods they now use to achieve the laudable aims of organizing this region for Western defense are not likely to bring the results hoped for.

"The region cannot be organized for defense on the basis of discrimination against Israel, and this is the basis on which Iraq has joined in a pact with Turkey and is now inviting France and Britain and the United States to become partners in the pact. This crisis will require an increased effort by the Zionist movement to instruct public opinion with regard to the issues involved and to mobilize support for Israel’s justified demands-reassurance with regard to her security position and non-discrimination in the organization of regional defenses."

RABBI MILLER RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF AMERICAN ZIONIST COUNCIL

Rabbi Irving Miller was re-elected chairman of the American Zionist Council for the next year, at the meeting. In his annual report dealing with the current situation affecting the Zionist movement, Rabbi Miller warned that "the Zionist movement in America faces what may be the greatest challenge in its history." He added that "the State of Israel, whose creation climaxed decades of Zionist striving, is today threatened on all fronts."

The Zionist leader also cautioned that "above all, the warm friendship between our country and Israel, which has been a blessing to both nations and which we have proudly fostered, is today being undermined by the maneuvers of old enemies as well as by the blunders of old friends." Reviewing the latest developments in the Middle East, Rabbi Miller charged that "Egypt has now tipped her hand through her demand made this week that Israel cede the Negev–fully half of that little country’s territory–to Arab control."

Rabbi Miller scored the State Department’s policy of excluding Israel from the defense arrangements in the Middle East, and its latest actions in concluding arms agreements with Arab states. "These acts contain the worst features of appeasement–a policy which has been thoroughly discredited in our time and which is doomed to failure in the future as in the past."

"If our Government," he said, "truly wishes to play a constructive role in the Middle East, it must bend all its efforts to do away with the cause of all this bloodshed. The fundamental problem remains today what it has been during these past seven years – the refusal of the Arab states to recognize Israel’s existence and to negotiate with her for peace in the Middle East. This problem will not be solved by a policy of appeasement at Israel’s expense or by Israel’s isolation."

In addition to the election of Rabbi Miller, the following were named vice-chairmen: Rabbi Mordecai Kirshblum, president of the Mizrachi Organization of America, and Ralph Wechsler, member of the presidium of the Labor Zionist Organization of America – Poale Zion. Other officers re-elected are Charles Bick, former president of Hapoel Hamizrachi, as treasurer; Paul Goldman, general secretary of the United Zionist Labor Party, as secretary. Rabbi Jerome Unger was renamed executive director. Dr. Abba Hillel Silver and Louis Lipsky were re-elected honorary chairmen.