The World Union of Jewish Students (WU JS) participated in a conference in Egypt earlier this month, the first Jewish organization to do so since the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt March 26, it was reported here by Irving Wallach, WU JS Secretary-General. He said WU JS was received officially by the Egyptian and Tunision organizers of the World Youth Congress on Food and Development, which was sponsored by the semi-official Cairo newspaper Al-Ahram, the United Nations Environment Program and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Wallach reported that the Congress was attended by delegates from 41 countries, representing all six continents. Among them were delegates from eight Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia. The Congress’ only sour note occurred when the Jordanian governmental delegation withdrew after they told the Congress Secretarial that they would not participate because of the official presence of a “Jewish organization.”
However, Wallach, who attended the Congress, said that a friendly and informal feeling was the rule. He felt the fact that delegates from Nigeria and Cameroon had nominated WU JS’ representative as the Congress vice president far more accurately reflected the atmosphere there.
“I was genuinely surprised by the warm and open way in which so many delegates greeted me,” Wallach said, “much more so as an informal speaker for Israel. Many Egyptian students at the Congress just wanted the chance to speak to a real, live Jew.
“on one occasion, a delegate from Rwanda began speaking to me in Hebrew. He had lived in Netanya for one year as part of a training program and said that he looked forward to seeing Israel again one day. Among the Africans there was no sign whatsoever of any rejection of Israel as a nation. Most often their questions were about the kibbutz and Israeli agriculture.”
During the Congress, Wallach said he met with the president and executive committee of the General Union of Students of Egypt. In addition, several representatives of African and Asian organizations extended invitations to their counterparts in Israel to attend conferences or to hold joint activities, he said. Wallach sold he got the impression that Egyptian people from all social strata are tired of war and want peace.
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