Menachem Beigin, former commander-in-chief of the Irgun Zvai Leumi and now head of the Irgun-sponsored Freedom Movement in Israel, who arrived here Tuesday from Paris, declared at a press conference yesterday that Britain is “still the No. 1 enemy of Israel” and that the Bernadotte plan, “the child of British intrigue,” should be rejected in its entirety.
The former Irgun chief, for whose capture the British once offered a reward of $40,000, said that King Abdullah is a “British puppet,” with whom it would be useless to enter into negotiations, and that Israel must comprise both sides of the Jordan. He also expressed opposition to all proposals to internationalize Jerusalem. He called for bringing Jews in Moslem countries to Israel.
Beigin denied that he was in this country for the purpose of raising funds. He described his visit as a good-will tour. When he landed at La Guardia Field on Tuesday, he received an enthusiastic reception from 500 persons whom the police had difficulty controlling.
Earlier, New York newspapers published advertisements listing the names of members of a reception committee formed to honor Beigin upon his arrival. The long list of names includes 11 Senators, 11 governors, 72 Congressmen and numerous Judges, educators, clergymen, writers and others. The committee is headed by the following honorary chairmen: Louis Bromfield, James A. Farley, Sen. Guy M. Gillette, Ben Hecht, Jeanne Vladimir-Jabotinsky, Sen. Ed C. Johnson, Walter Clay Lowdermilk, Rabbi Louis I. Newman, Will Rogers Jr., Zalman Schneour, Rep. Hugh Scott, Rabbi Eliezer Silver and Rep. Andrew L. Somers.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
