Appealing to England not to put any obstacles in the way of 17,000,000 Jews composing a nation that has wandered over the face of the earth for 2,000 years, Menachem Mendel Ussishkin, veteran Zionist leader and president of the Jewish National Fund, in an address from the Congress’ tribune yesterday during the general debate, warned England not to forget the outcome of the battle between David and Goliath.
Mr. Ussishkin’s plea to England concluded a stirring speech in which he called on all factions in the Zionist movement to forget their individual differences and to collaborate in a peaceful effort to rebuild the Jewish National Home. He declared that the Zionist Congress must recognize all parties’ right to an equal share in practical and political work. He also said that he was opposed to an anti-British policy.
At the same time the speaker unsparingly criticized Dr. Weizmann, declaring that in a choice between Weizmann and the Jewish people he had no hesitation in foregoing Dr. Weizmann. Mr. Ussishkin recalled that on one occasion he told Dr. Theodor Herzl, father of political Zionism, that if it were a choice between Herzl and Palestine he would not hesitate to forego Herzl.
Disclaiming any sympathy with the Revisionists, Mr. Ussishkin nevertheless declared that he was grateful to them for having given the Jewish youth renewed faith in its people. Discussing the actual Jewish development in Palestine, Mr. Ussishkin stressed the tremendous importance of building up the land and pointed out that had the Zionists been in a position to establish some colonies in Transjordania, that territory could have been saved for Palestine.
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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.
