Jewish National Assembly in Palestine Discusses U.N. and Curbing of Extremists

The line to be followed by Jewish Agency spokesmen when they testify before the United Nations inquiry commission and the problem of imposing “national discipline” on the extremists are the two major issues before the Assefath Hanivcharim, the Jewish National Assembly of Palestine, which today opened its fifth session, since the present body was elected in 1944.

The session was opened by David Remez, chairman of the Jewish National Council, who emphasized that the new Soviet policy on Zionism, as outlined by Andrei Gromyko at the U.N. General Assembly last week, opens new horizons. He reviewed the achievements of the Jews in Palestine and touched briefly on the necessity of curbing the activities of the extremist groups in the country.

Discussing the outcome of the U.N. Assembly Remez said that “we have built farms and villages, cities and suburbs, trade and industry, educational and cultural institutions, all with our own means, without state authority. It is that authority that we are now asking of the United Nations.” Remez pointed out that the Jews pay millions of pounds in income tax annually, and receive virtually no services in return from the government.

BATTLE ON PARTITION ISSUE IS EXPECTED

A battle is likely to develop on the question of partition. Those in favor of immediate independence, even if that means accepting a Jewish state in only part of Palestine, are expected to press for an unequivocal stand by the Assembly in favor of partition. Supporters of the Biltmore Declaration will demand that the Assembly reject not only partition, but also any proposals for a bi-national state.

Meanwhile, the problem of when and where to convene the Zionist Actions Committee is still unresolved. A meeting of the Agency executive on Sunday rejected a proposal that the Committee meet in Paris in July and passed by a slim majority of one, a motion that the Committee be convened in Jerusalem on June 10. However, this decision may still be changed.

The General Zionists, Mizrachi and Labor Mizrachi are demanding that the meeting not be held until after the U.N. inquiry commission completes its study in Palestine. The left-wing groups, led by the Mapai (Palestine Labor Party) and the Hashomer Eatzair (left Socialists) want a meeting before the U.N. probers arrive, in order to authorize the testimony to be given by Zionist spokesmen.

(Seven Revisionist members of the Actions Committee, all of whom are in the U.S. at present, today cabled to the Jewish Agency executive in Jerusalem, demanding immediate convening of the Committee. They declared that “the Jewish Agency executive has no right to testify before the U.N. Committee or to appoint spokesmen with clear directives from the Actions Committee.”)