Jews throughout the free world were asked here today to help Israel meet “the gravest challenge” which the Jewish State has faced “since its War of Liberation” by fulfilling their obligations to mobilize the maximum response to Israel Bonds “as a channel of financial assistance that has already become the most vital instrument in the growth of every phase of the country’s industrial and agricultural life.”
A resolution to this effect was adopted at the concluding session today of the First International Planning Conference for Israel which was called to plan the strengthening of Israel’s economic defenses through the inauguration on a world-wide scale of a $350,000, 000 bond issue for industrial and agricultural development of the country. The sum of $75, 000, 000 is to be raised in 1954.
Henry Morgenthau, Jr. , former Secretary of the Treasury, was named chairman of an International Committee for Israel Bonds which was created today to stimulate the sale of Israel Bonds overseas. Mr. Morgenthau, who was chairman of the Board of Governors of the first Israel Bond issue, has shifted to the International Committee to help assure the most effective launching of the new Development Bond campaign in Western Europe and other parts of the free world. It is expected that he will visit a number of countries in the near future to confer with local leaders on the most effective methods for conducting the Israel Bond campaign in their respective countries.
Samuel Rothberg, noted Jewish leader, of Peoria, Ill., was named to the newly created post of national chairman of the campaign in the United States. Among the officers who will continue with their present posts are Rudolf G. Sonneborn, president of the Bond Organization, Julian B. Venezky, chairman of the executive committee, and Henry Montor, chief executive officer.
DELEGATES ANNOUNCE QUOTAS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES
Responding to the urgent need for Israel Bond funds, leaders from communities throughout the country announced the decisions of their cities to set quotas in the drive for this year. Among those making such announcements were: Los Angeles, $3,500,000; Chicago, $2,500,000; Philadelphia, $2,000,000; Boston, $2,000,000; Newark, $1, 500,000; Cleveland, $1, 250,000; St. Louis, $1,000,000; Pittsburgh, $1,000,000; Baltimore, $1,000,000; Miami, $750,000; Wilkes Barre, $350,000; Passaic, $250,000, and Camden, $200,000.
Philip Klutznick, president of B’nai B’rith, announcing a decision of his organization to undertake $7, 500, 000 in bond sales, emphasized that the Arabs’ “one hope” lies in the possibility that the friends of Israel might abandon it “in its superb struggle to convert an austere and deficit economy to a sound and livable basis.” He drew a parallel between the hopes of the Arabs for an Israel economic collapse and the desire of enemies of America for a similar collapse in this country. He expressed the firm determination of his organization to support Israel’s economy and referred to the decisive importance of the Bond Drive.
EBAN SCORES U. N. ARMISTICE COMMISSION ON NEGEV MASSACRE
Israel Ambassador Abba Eban, addressing the conference, said the United Nations Mixed Armistice Commission attitude toward the Scorpion Pass massacre was “marked by silence and indifference” that has led to the impression that the United Nations flag was pulled down under fire. The United Nations, he stated cannot remain in silence without discrediting its prestige.
The Ambassador pointed out that the “problem before us is not the absence of peace” but is “the growth of Arab hostility and the human limits of our capacity to avoid legitimate response.” He stressed that “it is to the growth of the Arab hostility rather than to the absence of Arab-Israel peace that the United Nations should apply its available resources of influence and action.”
Has the international community?” he asked, “nothing to say against such murderous outrages as that committed in Scorpion Pass; against acts of blockade and assertions of belligerency; against interference with air traffic; against violent threats to destroy a neighboring state; against organized boycott imposing the Arab will on the commerical policies of sovereign states and private companies; against refusal to cooperate with the Secretary General of the United Nations in convening a meeting on armistice problems ? Are there no armistice problems ?”
Mr. Eban said favorable developments were few but listed as “most of important of all” the strengthening of the fraternal links between Israel and the Jewish communities of the Western world. “The action of American Jewry in relieving Israel’s burden of short term indebtedness has already illuminated the scene with radiance and warmth, ” he declared. “The inauguration of the new bond issue at this time, with such broad international and American support, is of the utmost importance to our political strength and security. ” He said the conference spelled “the doom of the Arab boycott and the frustration of Arab hostility” and signified the strengthening of Jewish unity.
Mr. Eban said also that a few favorable symptoms might be seen in the backing of Israel on the Suez issue by some governments and the sympathy of enlightened opinion for Israel’s views on American plans to arm the Arab states at the climax of their hostility toward Israel.
DOV JOSEPH SAYS UNITED STATES IS APPEASING THE ARABS
Dov Joseph, member of the Israel Cabinet who arrived here to address the conference, told the 900 delegates that the impression prevailing in Israel is that the United States is appeasing the Arabs and thereby encouraging them “in their refusal to make peace with Israel. ” “If the attacks by Arab infiltrators over the Israel border continue much longer, those behind this organized campaign of murder and looting may well regret their acts,” he warned.
Dr. Joseph stressed that “Israel is anxious to make peace with her Arab neighbors but Arab politicians find it convenient to use the hatred of Israel as a red herring to cover up the weakness, dictatorial methods and instability in their states. ” He said the Western appeasement policy arose from the “painfully illusory notion” that the Arabs would support the West against Communism. “Any arms given to the Arab states will be used not in the defense of democracy which doesn’t exist in any Arab country. They will be used only to attack Israel, ” he warned.
In a major statement on American policy in the Near East, Senator Herbert H. Lehman described the Republican Administration’s policy of “impartiality” in the Israel-Arab area as an “empty dish.” He called for a “truly new look–for the benefit of the entire area.” Referring to the Scorpion Pass bus massacre, Sen. Lehman said:
“We must be as quick to condemn outrages by Jordanians as we recently were to censure violence by Israelis. But we should not limit ourselves to denouncing, with fine impartiality, overt actions of violence by either side. We must seek the root of the evil and strive to eliminate it. The root-evil is the unwillingness of the Arab governments to accept the simple fact of Israel’s existence, and the contining conspiracy to destroy her. We must put forward a positive policy designed to overcome this evil.”
Rabbi Irving Miller, chairman of the American Zionist Council and president of the Zionist Organization of America, urged the United States Government to issue “a straightforward answer with respect to its policy in the Middle East.” Other speakers included Senator Homer Ferguson, chairman of the Republican Policy Committee; Mrs. Rebecca Shulman, Hadassah president; Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, executive vice-chairman of the United Jewish Appeal; Julian Freeman, president of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds; Barnett Janner, British MP.
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