Jewish Agency Executive Acts to Implement Decisions Taken by Zionist General Council

The Jewish Agency Executive moved last night to implement the decisions taken by the Zionist General Council (Actions Committee). They include a major reorganization of the World Zionist Organization and preparations for the next World Zionist Congress which, the General Council decided, will be held within two years.

The Executive appointed a committee to work out details of the reorganization plan. The plan calls for the establishment of a Jewish Agency Assembly as the supreme governing body. It will consist of up to 250 members of whom half will represent the World Zionist Organization and Israel and half Jewish bodies abroad. Thirty percent of the latter will represent major fund-raising bodies in the United States and will be named by the United Israel Appeal. The remaining 20 percent will come from other countries outside of Israel; a committee will be set up to apportion seats between fund-raising bodies and community organizations in the latter category.

The Assembly will establish a board of governors which will provide the Jewish Agency with authority for its day to day activities and determine its budget to be approved by the Assembly. The Executive will be elected by the Assembly on the 50-30-20 basis. The Executive also decided last night to establish a committee to organize elections for the next Zionist Congress.

At its closing sessions yesterday, the General Council called on Jewish and Zionist organizations abroad to make immigration to Israel their central concern. They were asked to render all possible assistance to Israeli emissaries sent abroad to promote immigration and to encourage visits to Israel by potential settlers and investors. The General Council also urged the Government to act to ease the severe housing shortage, which is a deterrent to immigration, and to take economic measures that will make it easier to integrate newcomers.