Israeli Strikers in New York Told to Resist Police Debarkation

The leadership of the seamen’s strike in Israel today sent instructions to the strikers aboard the S.S. Yafo, Israeli vessel tied up in New York harbor, to resist with force if necessary any attempt by the New York police to put them off the vessel, it was reported here.

(The strike of the crew of the freighter Yafo continued for the third day in New York without any signs of a break. The strike aboard the S.S. Haifa in Baltimore also continued. Both crews rejected pleas by the companies owning the vessels that they return to work, adding that they would resist with force attempts to unload their vessels. Spokesmen for the shipping lines pointed out that holding the vessels in American ports was costing the Israeli Government large sums of foreign currency. It was estimated in shipping circles in New York that pier charges for the Yafo amounted to about $1,000 a day.)

The strike in Israel entered its second month today, with fewer prospects than ever of a peaceful settlement. Contact was broken off between a committee representing the new Histadrut-sponsored national seamen’s union and the striking seamen when a delegation of strikers asked for more time to discuss with the strikers demand that the strike be ended immediately, before negotiation on the seamen’s grievances was started. The Histadrut union representatives refused the strikers more time, so the latter broke off contact.

As a result, the strikers withdrew their earlier agreement to assist in the unloading of the vessels Rimon and Tel Aviv. It is expected that a fierce fight will result when, as was reported, the police attempt to put the sitdown strikers off these two vessels.