Dr. Nahum Goldmann Zionist representative in Geneva told the Zionist Congress last night that no other settlement plan but Palestine could supply a definite solution to the Jewish problem and it was an insult to the history and tradition of the Jewish people to suggest to them 20 different “national homes in various countries or remote islands.”
“When Jews hear or read of suggestions of this kind put forward by their liberal friends who view the problem as if it were purely a refugee problem they are apt to wonder which is more offensive the hatred of their enemies or the friendship of their friends Dr. Goldmann said.
The fact that the Jewish people now includes hundreds of refugees for whom some provisional asylum must be found as soon as possible does not mean “that we are a refugee people” he said “Like other peoples the Jewish people has a history tradition and glories and above all has its national home Palestine its historic fatherland.
“The Jewish people do not ask 20 homes they insist that they should be allowed to reconstruct the only home to which they have remained inseparably attached even during the centuries in the diaspora.”
For the creation of a national home he said not only money technicians and assistance from governments are needed but primarily “the will of a people the devotion energy and self sacrifice of heart and soul. Individual refugees or groups of them may be willing if they can to go to British Guiana New Zealand Northern Rhodesia or elsewhere but the Jewish people as such will not go with them.”
“As a people the Jewish people know but one path Palestine “he said, “The twentieth century which has been described as the most revolutionary turbulent and cruel ever known in the history of mankind is not the moment in which to settle the destinies of people by conference and resolutions.
“The Jewish people are often told to fight a good fight for democracy and help restore international order liberalism tolerance and respect for treaty and minority rights which allegedly will be followed also by normalization of the Jewish situation Though the Jews naturally will continue to struggle side by side with the progressive forces of mankind we do not believe that the victory of the democratic forces will be enough to guarantee our existence as a people.”
Referring to the situation in Palestine Dr. Goldmann asserted that none among the Jews wanted to infringe the civil and religious rights of the Arabs.
“It is absurd” he said “to speak of conflict of two equal rights in Palestine when on the one hand there is a people in the depth of distress and on the other hand a people which not only benefited more than any other from the World war but has already four great independent states at its disposal states which could perfectly well support twice three times their present populations.”
“If there is a conflict “he went on “it is between carrying out the work of high justice and safeguarding a considerably less important right. The lesson the Jews have learned from the tragedy of recent years is that there is no other alternative for a solution of the Jewish problem but Zionism.
“We are the first Jewish generation which clearly sees the glorious road leading to a definite turning point in history Driven by the necessities of the present situation encouraged by the vision of the morrow we take this road the only one which we can take as a people and we take it to the end.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
