Aspersions Against Yishuv Denounced by Ben-zvi, Denies Jews Preparing Riots

In connection with the session of the Jewish National Assembly which is meeting tomorrow to draw up an official statement of the Yishuv on the recent arms trial, Isaac Ben Zvi, president of the Jewish National Council, today denounced the “slanderous aspersions which have been spread throughout the world in the past few months against the Yishuv and its institutions – the Jewish Agency and the Histadruth – which have created the impression that the Yishav is preparing riots in Palestine.” Tomorrow’s session of the Assembly will be addressed only by David Ben Gurion, chairman of the executive committee of the Jewish Agency, after which the body will adopt several resolutions

Chief Rabbi Herzog today wired the Histadruth, expressing regret at the “baseless” attacks on that organization and stressing its contributions to the war effort. At Haifa, the Jewish Labor Council adopted a resolution declaring that the conviction of Rachlin and Sirkin, the two defendants in the arms trial, was a verdict aimed at the entire Yishuv. Other Jewish groups voiced similar sentiments and special meetings of leading institutions will be held shortly to discuss the situation.