President Johnson has inspired confidence in the continued United States commitment to Israel’s security. Foreign Minister Abba Eban told the dinner session of the first Jewish National Fund of America convocation here last night.
In this way, the Foreign Minister said Mr. Johnson was continuing the late President Kennedy’s regard for Israel. Mr. Johnson has shown a full understanding of the need to support Israel’s security, the Minister declared.
The Foreign Minister also stated that Israel possessed sufficient deterrent force to make an attack on it unrewarding. He added that “although we are disappointed over the progress toward a Middle East peace, it is not unrealistic to consider that the present tranquility could be consolidated into a state of co-existence” with the Arab countries. He stressed the need for intensifying solidarity of Jews in other countries with Israel.
Mrs. Golda Meir, secretary of the Mapai Party, told the 400 delegates that Jews in the United States and other countries failed to realize the “real needs” of Israel. She said that American Jews accepted and understood the industrial and other problems of Israel but did not understand that Israel needs additional Jews as quickly as possible.
“We have Ministers, an army, police — practically everything else — but we do not have enough Jewish citizens,” she declared. “Do we realize that this is the generation which, after 2,000 years, has been given the opportunity to prove itself?”
The convocation’s resolution committee issued a strong appeal for help in resettlement of the Galilee. The delegates made a declaration of solidarity which pledged “every resource we possess to strengthen the ties between the two great democracies — the United States and Israel.”
Speakers included Brig. Ezer Weizmann, former commander of the Israel Air Force, who emphasized the close ties between the JNF and Israel’s army. He said the JNF often was called on to build new roads on Israel’s frontiers and to clear land for new Nahal settlements.
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