Israel Starts Its Fifth Anniversary Celebration in Joyous Mood

The lighting of a torch in the center of Jerusalem, which in turn led to the firing of 70 torches in various parts of Israel, and the firing of severe of cannon, tonight signaled the beginning of Israel’s Fifth Independence Day.

The cannon fire was followed by a huge fireworks display in this city and a march by units of Israel’s youth battalions. Immediately afterwards the streets were filled with dancing, singing, rejoicing crowds of men, women and children. The holiday had been ushered in.

Earlier, in Jerusalem’s national and military cemetery, memorial services were held for the heroic dead who fell to insure Israel’s liberation. Similar services were held in towns and military camps in all parts of the country. Flags were lowered to half-mast in the military camps.

PREMIER CALLS UPON NATION TO EXPAND PRODUCTION

In a special Independence Day broadcast to the nation, Premier David Ben Gurion called for an all-out effort to expand production, both agricultural and industrial, and to stabilize the country’s economic position. He urged free immigration–as opposed to immigration prompted by persecution–from the Western world. In an analysis of the country’s present situation and the tasks facing it, Mr. Ben Gurion listed the following four factors as of paramount importance:

I. The increase in population from 650,000 to 1,500,000 2. The increase in cultivated area from 700,000 denims (175,000 acres) to 3,000,000 denims. This. he emphasized, represents only 15 percent of the land area of the country, leaving the remainder to be planted by pioneers; 3. Military strength has been tripled, but preparedness must keep pace with the military development of the surrounding Arab states; 4. The trade deficit amounts to 400,000,000 pounds and these sums had to be found outside the state.

At this point, the Premier paid high tribute to world Jewry, particularly American Jewry, which has responded to these great needs. He said that the raising of these sums abroad enabled Israel to carry out its tasks of receiving the immigrants and developing and expanding its industry and other resources.

Mr. Ben Gurion again expressed Israel’s readiness to conclude peace with the Arab world, but pointed out that the Arabs’ refusal to make peace means that Israel must remain prepared for war, a war which it does not seek, but which it does not fear.

He told his listeners that their generation had been given “the greatest of privileges and the most sacred obligation–to implement the ingathering and integration of the exiles”–the development of the homeland, the perpetuation of the spiritual and moral values of Israel’s Prophets and the fashioning of the character of a free, and self-reliant people.

President Isaac Ben Zvi, in another broadcast, declared: “This has been a difficult year for us, both at home and abroad. There has been no response to our hand extended for peace with our neighbors, and the position of our brethren in the Diaspora has caused us profound and anxious concern. Nevertheless, despite all difficulties, our strength has grown, our army has progressed towards greater efficiency and consolidation, our agricultural economy has broadened, our industry has been enriched by new enterprises and the state as a whole has advanced to economic independence.”