Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Zionist Emergency Council Asks Truman to Act Against U.S. Support of Israel Sanctions

November 7, 1948
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

The American Zionist Emergency Council today called upon President Truman to undo the “great injustice” perpetrated by the American delegation to the United Nations which brought about passage by the Security Council of a British-conceived resolution aimed at the imposition of sanctions against Israel.

“Today it is clear to the American people that our delegation in Paris is carrying forward a British-engineered program on Israel which is designed to undermine the declared American policy,” the Council asserted, adding that President Truman “now has a great opportunity to establish once and for all that his declarations on Israel were sincerely meant and carefully considered. We hope he will seize that opportunity.

“The action of the American delegation in Paris is particularly shocking in view of the fact that it followed by a few days the declaration of policy made by the President–and is in violent contradiction to it. In a sudden burst of speed the American delegation has sought to confront the American people with a fait accompli,” the Council said. “It rushed the British resolution through the Security Council immediately after the U.S. elections, without affording other delegations an opportunity for proper study or debate. Furthermore, the State Department evidently intends that yesterday’s action shall serve merely as a prelude to an all-out anti-Israel offensive, both in the Security Council and in the General Assembly. It is apparently joining the British attempt to apply the Security Council resolution not only to the Negev but to Galilee as well,” the Council charged.

“How does one reconcile these actions with the policy statements of President Truman Only yesterday the President declared: ‘I am going to do the very best I can to carry out the Democratic platform as I promised all over the country.’ The plank on Israel is an important part of that platform,” it concluded.

AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS AND HADASSAH APPEAL TO TRUMAN AGAINST U.N. DELEGATION

Dr. Stephen S. Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress, called on President Truman to impose sanctions “not against Israel, but against the American ‘sanctioners’ whatever their place in the hierarchy of the State Department.” He charged certain circles in the State Department with giving priority to “suggestions from Bevin” over orders from the President of the United States. He insisted that the American delegation’s action in Paris yesterday was in complete contradiction and opposition to the wishes of the American people and the President.

A similar protest was made today at the opening session of the 34th annual convention of the Hadassah at Atlantic City, by the 5,000 delegates, officers and guests who attended. The officers and 80 members of the Hadassah national board wired President Truman that “only prompt, decisive action can prevent a serious miscarriage of justice.”

Mrs. Rose Halprin, president of Hadassah, scored the “supine attitude of do nothingness” on the part of the acting mediator. She charged that the present situation shows that the U.N. has “accepted the armies of aggression as partners to the truce and placed them on an equal footing with the defense forces of Israel which alone is seeking to implement the Nov. 29 resolution.” (See further details of the Hadassah convention on Page 5)

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement