About 1,000 shoemakers and tailors in Israel closed their shops today in protest against the new rationing law affecting shoes and clothing. Their action was described as an act of solidarity with the proprietors of clothing and shoe stores who have kept their establishments shut down since proclamation of the new rationing law. (See earlier story on Page 2.)
There is no possibility for further negotiations with the government “until the authorities realize the necessity for modifying basically the rationing system,” a spokesman for the Tel Aviv Merchants Association delegation said following a meeting of the delegation with Premier David Ben Gurion here. He indicated that the meeting brought no satisfactory results.
The spokesman emphasized that “even far-reaching changes in the present rationing policy would not satisfy the minimum requirsments of trade.” He urged the appointment of a parliamentary committee empowered to draft–in conjunction with trade representatives–a new and “more satisfactory” rationing law. “Failing adequate government assurances for a modified rationing system, the merchants will be unable to reopen their shops and the business strike will continue,” he declared. especially the question of admitting Spain to the United Nations and the problem concerning the status of Jerusalem. The parliament decided that these problems should be discussed by its Foreign Affairs Committee.
Although the Israel Foreign Ministry remains officially in Tel Aviv, various foreign diplomats have recently begun to contact the Ministry through its Jerusalem headquarters, it was revealed here today. Foreign Minister Sharett yesterday received at his Jerusalem office the Netherlands Minister to Israel, A. Nederbracht, and the Iranian diplomatic envoy to the new state, M. Safrini.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
