Dr. Nahum Goldmann, apparently undeterred by a flat rejection on the part of Israel’s Minister of Justice, Pinhas Rosen, of his proposal that Adolf Eichmann be tried by an international tribunal, indicated today he planned to place the suggestion before Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion.
Pinhas Rosen, Minister of Justice, said yesterday that the proposal “cannot be considered.” He indicated Israel was in no mood to change its trial plans for the Nazi war criminal who directed the murder of 6, 000, 000 European Jews.
Dr. Goldmann explained that he was not questioning Israel’s rights to try Eichmann but that he felt that Israel should invite participation in the proceedings in Jerusalem by representatives of other countries which had suffered Nazi cruelty. He suggested a tribunal to include judges of all countries from which people were deported and gassed in both Western and Eastern Europe. The head of the tribunal, he said, should be an Israel judge.
Pointing out that Jews were not the only ones who had suffered Nazi oppression, Dr. Goldmann stated that his suggestion was not meant to indicate any lack of confidence in Israel justice, but rather as “a moral and political gesture to the outside world.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.