Wizo Head Comes Under Fire for Her Criticism of Almogi

Raya Jaglom, president of WIZO, came under strong attack at the weekly meeting of the World Zionist Organization Executive for her criticism of Yosef Almogi, chairman of the WZO and Jewish Agency Executives. The meeting last week, which was to have discussed Almogi’s invitation to visit Rumania and other current Zionist topics, turned into a stormy and bitter debate over Mrs. Jaglom’s remarks.

In interviews several days earlier with Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post, the WIZO president said that Almogi was “unsuited” to head the WZO and Jewish Agency and that “Almogi did not make a good impression” at the Agency meeting in London last month. She said that Jewish Agency and WZO treasurer Leon Dulzin and former Defense. Minister Moshe Dayan should be head of the WZO “for the good of aliya and for the good of the Jewish world.”

The attack on Mrs. Jaglom was led off by Mordechai Bar-On, head of WZO’s youth and hechalutz department, who asked her if she spoke for herself or WIZO and questioned whether her comments are in accordance with the agreement between WIZO and the WZO. (The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned that the agreement requires WIZO not to take any sides nor to comment on personal issues.) Bar-On said Jaglom’s comments were “by all means an expression of no confidence” in Almogi. “Perhaps it is high time to discuss the status of WIZO in the Zionist organization.” Bar-On said.

Mrs. Jaglom replied she spoke for herself and not WIZO. She said she did so because she felt the time had come to do something for the Jewish people and the Zionist movement. Mrs. Jaglom added that while the Executive could discuss the status of WIZO it should remember that “you did not put me here” since she was elected by the Zionist Congress “and only it can remove me from the Executive.”

SHOCKED AND INSULTED

Ezra Shapiro, chairman of Keren Hayesod said he was “shocked” when he read Jaglom’s interviews. He said he felt it indicated an “eagerness for publicity.” Haim Finkelstein, head of the WZO’s education department, said the whole Executive should feel insulted by Mrs. Jaglom’s comments. He said he could not remember such a personal attack in the eight years he has been on the Executive. Prof. Ranan Weitz, head of the WZO’s settlement department, said Almogi could not be blamed for the lack of aliya since “we all know that aliya does not depend on Almogi.”

Herut’s. Yosef Klarman also attacked Mrs. Jaglom saying that he belonged to “another school which teaches to treat even enemies with respect.” Yaacov Tsur, the Jewish National Fund’s retiring chairman, said the dignity of the Zionist movement was more important than “personal insults.”

The only one to defend Mrs. Jaglom was Dulzin. Saying that he was “surprised” by the discussion, Dulzin asked if the Executive was going to him its members from speaking the truth. “Has Raya Jaglom given lies in her interviews?” he asked. He said it was not Mrs. Jaglom who had started criticizing Almogi, but “it started from outside.”

Almogi himself did not take part in the discussion except to bring it to an end remarking it was a “hard discussion.” Some Jewish Agency sources later said that the attack on Mrs. Jaglom indicated that the Executive supported Almogi. But other sources said that most of the persons who criticized Mrs. Jaglom were attacking only the way she did it and its timing.

ALMOGI FACES CRITICISM

Meanwhile, Almogi is coming under continued heavy criticism from the press and the Labor Party. Labor MKs Yosef Sarid and Rabbi Menachem Hacohen, in a letter two weeks ago to Meir Zarmi, the Labor Party’s secretary general, said that criticism of Almogi was growing in Israel and abroad and the party ought to discuss the situation. Zarmi promised that a committee would be named to discuss the “Almogi issue.”

After the two MKs attacked Almogi he received numerous cables of support from Zionist leaders in the U.S. and elsewhere. Mrs. Jaglom said in her interview that she “understands” that this support was “requested.” This was denied by WZO sources.