Declaring “we open in the light of the synagogue bonfires in Germany,” Zionist President Chaim Weizmann today opened an emergency session of the Zionist I General Council to consider the new Palestine situation. Eighty delegates, including eight from the United States, were present, and two others, Rabbi Solomon Goldman and Louis Lipsky, were not expected to arrive until “wednesday.
In his opening address Dr. Weizmann severely criticized the Woodhead Commission’s report, terming it a “cynical document” reflecting the present general political situation. he said a small Jewish state as envisioned by two of the commission’s four members would only be a source to feed the arab state with money. he devoted the major part of his speech to a lengthy review of the new situation, referring to the government’s statement of policy along the lines of the Jewish agency’s declaration in which opposition to participation in the proposed negotiations, either with Britain or the Arabs, on the basis of the Woodhead report was voiced.
The Jewish Agency Executive met yesterday to frame a line of policy to be adopted by the General Council. The Council is expected to decide that the Jews are prepared to enter conferences on the basis of the Balfour declaration and the mandate.
The New Zionist Organization demanded resignation of the present Jewish Agency executive and replacement by a more representative body. the Agudath israel proposed inclusion in the conferences of representatives of Jewish organizations outside the Jewish agency.
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