The Board of Deputies of British Jews today forwarded its reply to the government invitation to attend the conference on Palestine. Its contents was not divulged. However, it is generally believed that the reply is in the negative.
The world executive of the Agudas Israel decided to accept the invitation “in principle.” Acceptance by the Agudah is qualified by a decision to consult with other Jewish organizations invited to the Palestine talks, including the Jewish Agency.
(A report from Paris said that Agudah representatives called today upon David Ben Gurion, chairman of the Jewish Agency executive, and informed him that their organization will not attend the London conference if the Jewish Agency abstains from it.)
The Anglo-Jewish Association will not decide whether to attend the conference until Thursday, it was learned today. Meanwhile, it was pointed out in British circles today that the British rejection of the Jewish Agency terms of participation in the parley does not rule out all possibility of the Agency taking part in the later stages of the conference.
Interviewed by Reuter about the British invitations to Jewish organizations and individuals outside of the Jewish Agency, Dr. Nahum Goldmann was quoted as saying: “I do not believe many others will come to the British talks as long as the Agency is not there. We are really not worried about that.” Asked what would be the future policy of the Agency towards Britain, he replied: “We shall always be delighted to undertake discussions with the British when certain understandings of conditions are reached. We are always at their disposal for talks on the future of Palestine.”
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