The 33rd annual convention of the National Committee for Labor Israel concluded four days of deliberations today with the adoption of a $6,000,000 quota for 1957. This is more than double the amount raised last year and was set in view of the emergency situation in Israel.
The convention, representing a million members of Jewish and labor organizations, adopted a resolution hailing Israel’s action against the Egyptian fedayeen in the Sinai Peninsula and pledged its full moral and financial support through Histadruth. The resolution noted. “the supreme sacrifice made by 171 Israeli soldiers in defense to their homeland.”
The convention, appealed to the United States Government to use its influence to bring about direct peace negotiation between Egypt and Israel “and thus prevent further deterioration of the situation which will lead to complete Communist domination of a vital area of the world.”
In another resolution the convention condemned the continuing anti-Semitic policies of the Soviet regime and called for an end to the “foreign inquisition and the Marrano-like existence of Soviet Jewry.” The convention sent greetings to Israel’s Prime Minister David Ben Gurion on his 70th birthday, noting that he had been a founder of Histadruth 35 years ago. The greeting characterized Mr. Ben Gurion as “a man of deep understanding, of historic processes, a man of vision and ideal who has never forgotten the living source of his ideals and his strength, the Jewish worker.”
Israel Foreign Minister Golda Meir, addressing a convention luncheon in honor of Luigi Antonini, first vice president of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union declared that the United Nations could “shorten the distance to peace by insisting that Israel and the Arab states enter into direct peace negotiations.” Mrs. Meir told the delegates that “the existence of a strong labor movement in Israel “is a guarantee that the state will emerge strong, free and democratic.”
The convention elected Joseph Schlossberg as national chairman; Dr. Herman Seidel, chairman of the board of directors; Max Zaritsky, treasurer; and Dov Biegun, national secretary. Isaac Hamlin was re-elected Israel representative of the National Committee for Labor Israel.
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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.
