Dr. Chaim Weizmann’s chances of being returned to the leadership of the Zionist movement in the face of bitter criticism of and opposition to his policies on the part of many delegates to the Zionist Congress appeared considerably diminlished last night during the deliberations of the political commission when it became known that the Laborites, hitherto Dr. Weizmann’s staunchest supporters, are now seeking to form a coalition administration without Dr. Weizmann.
The Laborites, who constitute a united bloc of 77 delegates, hope to be able to succeed in winning all of the General Zionists (Centrists), who have 87 mandates, to the support of a compromise coalition that would eliminate Dr. Weizmann. This coalition would also exclude the Revisionists. If the Laborites’ plan works out, they, together with the General Zionists, would control a solid group of over 150 delegates, a majority of the Congress.
The fact that the Laborites are now negotiating for the creation of a coalition Zionist Executive excluding Dr. Weizmann is interpreted in Congress circles as meaning an end to all efforts to reelect Dr. Weizmann who has definitely announced that he is not a candidate, explaining that he does not represent the views of the Congress. With the Laborites now ready to cooperate with all the anti-Weizmannists except the Revisionists, it now becomes possible, it is pointed out, to create an Executive that will represent the majority of the delegates, since the chief issue dividing the Congress is the question of Dr. Weizmann’s leadership.
In the meantime the Revisionists have increased their strength at the Congress from 80 to 81 as the result of the accession to their ranks of Rabbi J.L. Zlotnik, General Zionist member of the Canadian delegation which only yesterday was admitted to the Congress. Rabbi Zlotnik, who is executive director of the Canadian Organization, joined the Revisionists when the members of his own delegation were admitted to the Congress. A protest on the part of the Canadian Revisionists against the method of selecting the Canadian delegates had been one of the reasons for barring the delegation.
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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.
