Israelis Urged to End Hunger Strike Against Arrests in Rumania

The 50 Rumanian Jewish leaders in Israel who today entered the fourth day of their hunger strike here in protest against the mass arrests of Jewish leaders in Rumania were urged this afternoon by Joseph Sprinzak, Speaker of the Israel Parliament, to end their strike.

Mr. Sprinzak directed his appeal to the strikers from the floor of Parliament. He emphasized that since the strike has had the desired political effect there is no necessity to further endanger the lives of the strikers, who are determined to maintain their fast indefinitely.

The strikers were visited today by members of the Israel Cabinet, Jewish Agency executive and Histadrut leaders in the Great Synagogue here, where they are maintaining their vigil. The visitors expressed their solidarity with the strikers.

Messages of encouragement were received today from the Board of Deputies of British Jews in London, from the Zionist Federation of Great Britain, from the British section of the World Jewish Congress and from Jewish organizations in other countries. “We hope your self-sacrificing action will attract the attention of the civilized world and will arouse condemnation of this wanton cruelty by the Rumanian Government, ” the message from the Board of Deputies said.

(A similar message was sent today from New York by Dr. Israel Goldstein on behalf of the World Confederation of General Zionists. A resolution protesting the mass arrests of Jews in Rumania was adopted today in Montreal at the convention of the Farband-Labor Zionist Order attended by more than 400 delegates from the United States and Canada.)