Premier Yitzhak Rabin, speaking by telephone yesterday to Jewish leaders in 48 communities across the country and Canada, declared that “the condition and health of our economy hold the keys to our ability to defend ourselves as well as our ability to achieve a sound and fair peace settlement.” Addressing a coast-to-coast telephone conference, Rabin officially launched a special cash collection program of the Israel Bond campaign dedicated to mobilizing all-out support for Israel’s economy.
The Premier, who is scheduled to meet with President Ford next month, stated that from the beginning of Israel’s existence 27 years ago, “we have learned from experience that economic stability is a vital and indispensable part of our security, of our capacity to protect ourselves and preserve our independence.” He said that the war against Israel has taken various forms and it is being fought on various fronts. “Whatever the form of this warfare, its objective is the same. Our enemies seek the complete isolation of Israel economically, politically and militarily.
Rabin declared that the Arabs “have mounted a world-wide campaign of economic warfare against us which also involves the blacklisting of business organizations, Jewish and non-Jewish, in the United States and in Europe which have any connection with Israel. The boycott represents a serious threat not only to us, but to the Jewish people as a whole. It is a situation that calls for positive action on the part of world Jewry.”
Rabin told his audience that “all these attempts to weaken us, to gain by economic and political pressures what the Arabs could not achieve by the use of force, will fall. They will fall because you understand our position and you recognize the extent of the need for your full support morally and financially.” He said that in the present circumstances, Israel turns “to you, to the Jewish communities, to help us meet our difficult financial situation,” He added, “I feel confident that you will do your utmost to stand by us in this critical period.”
URGENCY OF CAMPAIGN EMPHASIZED
In introducing Rabin, Sam Rothberg, general chairman of the Israel Bond Organization, emphasized the urgency of the campaign, declaring that “our efforts must be concentrated on maximum coverage of every segment of the community to relieve the critical financial situation in Israel resulting from a tremendous trade deficit, record high defense expenditures, an extraordinary rate of inflation, and the Arab boycott.” Michael Arnon, president of the Israel Bond Organization, expressed confidence that the communities would intensity their campaign activities in the coming weeks.
Following Rabin’s talk, Rothberg called upon the Bond leaders and volunteers to explore all avenues of possible support within and outside the Jewish community. He emphasized that the financial and business community would welcome the opportunity to participate actively in the Israel Bond drive as a “constructive and meaningful way” of demonstrating their repudiation of the Arab economic boycott and blacklist of organizations and individuals in the U.S. and elsewhere who do business with Israel.
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