A resolution urging President Truman to “instruct the American delegation at the U.N. to sponsor direct negotiations between Israel and the Arab states, with a view towards securing a stable peace,” was adopted here today at the 34th annual convention of Hadassah. The convention, which is being attended by 5,000 delegates from all sections of the United States, will continue through Tuesday.
The resolution also asked the President to support “Israel’s request for membership in the United Nations and oppose any suggestion or attempt to diminish the boundaries of the state of Israel.” Mrs. Moses P. Epstein, chairman of the Hadassah political committee, presented the resolution to the delegates.
The announcement by the Hadassah medical board that Dr. Eli Davis, deputy medical director for the organization in Palestine, has been named director to succeed Dr. Chaim Yassky, who was killed last April during an Arab attack in the Jerusalem area, was greeted warmly by the delegates.
Charging the Arabs with a deliberate campaign to hinder Jewish medical work, Dr. Davis said that since last December they had attacked ambulances and medical personnel, mined approaches to Hadassah hospitals, tried to dynamite buildings, cut the water supply, electric and telephone lines and intimidated United Nations observers guarding demilitarized Mount Scopus, thus barring use of needed hospital facilities.
He explained that “the not effect of their attempt to deprive the Israeli Army and people of medical help has been to increase medical facilities.”
Earlier, it was revealed by Mrs. Samuel Rosensohn, national medical chairman of the 250,000-member organization, that Hadassah will build a 60-bed $300,000 hospital in the Negev. The hospital will be named for the late Dr. Yassky. Hadassah has already set up eight clinics in the southern desert area, she reported. A total of $3,000,000 was expended by Hadassah last year on expansion of its medical facilities in Israel and Jerusalem, she added.
President of Israel Dr. Chaim Weizman, in a message to the convention, said that “the immense task of absorption of hundreds of thousands of newcomers from all parts of the world calls for a large-scale constructive program in the spheres of health, preventive medicine, housing and education.”
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