Israel’s economic burdens in the face of rising immigration were stressed here today by Finance Minister Pinhas Sapir, who told the 140 members of the United Jewish Appeal study mission that there was a limit to what can be imposed on Israeli citizens–just as there is a limit to the debts the Jewish Agency and the Israel Government can shoulder.
Mr. Sapir warned that, if American Jewry fails to give Israel the needed support for absorbing immigration, the country’s basic economic progress may be considerably slowed down. “We have reached the stage,” he declared, “where an increasing share of absorption costs fall upon the Israeli taxpayer, while the participation of Jews outside Israel was decreasing.”
He urged a greater flow of gift dollars to correct this dangerous situation, noting that present support is far from sufficient and “we have been able to meet immigration needs by imposing a tremendous burden on the Israeli taxpayers and, where there was no other way, by increasing the debts of the Jewish Agency and the Government.”
Earlier, Louis Pincus, treasurer of the Jewish Agency, told the mission that American Jews are not carrying their fair share of the burden of bringing Jewish immigrants to this country, settling them and absorbing them. Immigrants are now entering Israel at a record rate, he said. “Not since 1951,” he declared, “has there been such a large immigration as we have seen in the last four years.” He stated that, according to indications, the inflow of newcomers in 1965 will continue at the same pace. Israeli taxpayers, he declared, are paying $2 for resettlement and absorption to each dollar received in contributions from the Jews abroad.
While economic progress in the United States has been remarkable, and the American Jewish community has shared in their country’s affluence, “the contributions of the UJA have remained at a plateau.” “In view of the tremendous burden the Israelis must bear for defense, education and development,” he maintained, “this is historically unfair.”
Last night, Deputy Defense Minister Shimon Peres briefed the UJA leaders on Israel’s security problems and the burden of security expenditures on Israeli taxpayers. Tomorrow, the mission members leave for tours of Israel.
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