Canadian Zionists petitioned their government today to maintain a positive attitude toward Israel’s needs and to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, to take vigorous measures against international terrorism and to use its influence with the Soviet government for the abolition of restrictions on Jewish emigration from the USSR. These steps were spelled out in a series of resolutions adopted by 1000 delegates at the closing plenary session of the third biennial convention of the Canadian Zionist Federation.
Other resolutions urged the French government to “cease and desist” from the shipment of weapons to Libya intended for “the destruction of Israel” and to “recall” all such weapons already shipped. The United Nations was urged to initiate an investigation of the condition of Jews in Arab countries, particularly Syrian Jews, with a view to gaining their freedom.
On the issue of international terrorism, highlighted today by the hijacking of a German airliner and the release by West German authorities of three terrorists, the CZF urged the Canadian government to refuse air service to any nation offering a haven or protection to avowed terrorists and to sever diplomatic relations with governments harboring or sheltering terrorists. Canada was also called on to move its Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The convention was addressed last night by Maj. Gen. Haim Herzog, an Israeli military commentator, who said that “perceptible progress” has been made in Israeli-Arab relations since the cease-fire. Speaking at another session, Israel’s Ambassador to Canada, Theodore Meron, said that “Arab terrorism constitutes a major obstacle to peace and requires our most urgent attention. “We on our part shall strike at the terrorists again and again,” he said.
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.
