Rev. Kernan's
Expose of
Desecration
Charges
Against
Israel
A Weekly Review
Story on Page 2
VOL. I4—No. 12
2114 Penobscot Bldg.=Phone WO. 5-1155
1E1
NEWS
of Jewish Events
New Feature:
'Try and Stop Me'
By Bennett Cerf
Starting in this issue
on Page 20
—
Detroit 26, Michigan, December 3, 1948
34 ..,Aeo, 22 $3.00 Per Year; Single Copy, 10c
British Foreign Office Proposes
Seizure of Frozen Israeli Funds
(Direct JTA Teletype Wires to The Jewish News)
Zionist Council Calls for UPA
Unity, Opposes New Drives
. The Zionist Council of Detroit, at a meeting held Monday
evening at the office of the Jewish National Fund, unanimously
:adopted a resolution appealing to the Committee of Contributors
and to the Committee for Progressive Zionism to refrain from
sponsoring independent fund-raising drives for Israel. At the
same time, the resolution asks the United Palestine Appeal to
.
:strive for unity in its ranks and urges the immediate reconsti-
tution of the United
- Jewish Appeal in the best interests of
Jewish unity in America in behalf of the State of Israel.
Representatives of all Zionist parties participated in the
"discussions and in action on the resolution. Another unanimous-
ly-adopted resolution warns the Jewish community against mis-
representations in fund-raising and the continued use on boxes
-distributed in Detroit, stores of the term "Haganah." It was
pointed out that Haganah no longer exists, all Jewish forces
having been merged into the Israeli army, and 'that only -UJA
funds are used for major Israeli needs.
Lawrence W. Crohn was re-elected the Zionist Council's
`representative on the board of governors of the Jewish Welfare
'Federation.
PARIS (JTA).—The British Foreign Office has proposed to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, Sir Stafford Cripps, that he seize the whole remaining balance of Israel's
sterling deposits in the United Kingdom, as security for reparations to be paid by
Israel to the Palestinian Arab refugees, it was learned in informed United Nations
circles. The total amount involved is stated to be $140,000,000-$160,000,000.
The proposal is now under active consideration. It has already resulted in the holding
up by the Bank of England of the current release of sterling which was due Oct. 15.
This quarterly allocation of $28,000,000 is now six weeks overdue. It was to have covered
Israel's purchases of essential foodstuffs in the sterling area and in the United States'
and Argentina.
Inquiries in London revealed that hitherto the allocation had been made within 48
hours of application. In . reply to a request for the current release, it has been indicated
that the release was held up on political grounds, connected first with fighting in
the Negev, then with sanctions discussions at the UN and finally because of the present
refugee reparations question.
Israeli banking agents in London have been told that while on previous occasions
the decision was made by the Bank of England authorities, the Bank had to refer the
current payment to the Treasury for a decision. At the Treasury, it was stated that
the whole matter had to be referred to the Poreign Office—and there it rests at the
moment. One of the largest and most powerful British firms also met with a blank
refusal by the Treasury to have Palestine sterling released fof trading purposes.
On Nov. 29, exactly one year after the United Nations General Assembly
adopted the historic decision to establish an independent Jewish state in Palestine,
Israel submitted its application for UN membership. Member states expected to
vote in favor of the membership application are Argentina, Canada, Colombia,
France, the Soviet Union, the Ukraine and the United States. While Argentina has
in the past not displayed particular friendship for Israel's cause, universality of
Membership is known to be the keystone of Argentine policy in the, UN.
Canada, Colombia and the United States have all spoken strongly in favor of Israel's
admission, during the debate on PaleStine in the Assembly's Political Committee. It
appears certain that neither Britain nor China will vote against Israel's admission, thus
eliminating the threat of a veto.
Withdrawal of British support of the Bernadotte plan, at the insistence of the
United States, leaves the Negev in Jewish hands. Britain is believed to have made
this about face order to secure the balance of Palestine for her puppet, Transjordania.
It is expected that the UN Security Council will act on Israel's request for ad-
mission to the UN this week-end.
(The Sofia radio announced over the week-end that the Bulgarian cabinet had de-
cided to recognize the state of Israel. The Bulgarian Government will immediately
establish diplomatic and trade relationships with the Israeli Government.)
.
The first reply from an Arab State to the Security Council's armistice resolution,
received from Saudi Arabia, was noncommital and restrained in tone. The Saudi
( Continued On Page 20)
A t Paris JDC Parley:
Paris was the scene recently of a worldwide con-
ference on Jewish relief and rehabilitation, spon sored by the Joint Distribution Committee, major
American agency aiding distressed Jews overseas. Delegates from 31 receiving and contributing
nations attended. Shown above are (L to r.) Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, JDC's European Director; M.
Rene Cassin, French delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and President of
Alliance Israelite Universelle; and Edward M. M. Warburg, JDC Chairman. At right is Aubrey
Eban, Israeli representative at the UN, who spoke at the conference's opening session.
—International Photos
-
isetgan in U. S.:
A huge crowd 'turned out at La
Guardia Field, New York, to welcome MENACHEM BEIGIN (arrow),
former commander of Irgun Zvai Leumi, who arrived in this country
'-for a two-week stay on a visitor's visa. At present, he is the leader
of the Irgun-sponsored Freedom Movement in Israel. The former
British Mandatory Power in Palestine at one time offered $40,000
for his capture. In Washingigh, a State Department spokesman said
That neither the British government nor anyone else had objected
to his receiving a visa to come to the United States. Beigin declared
.at a presi conference
that Britain is
"still the No. I enemy of Israel"
and that the Bernadotte plan, "the child of British intrigue," should
-be rejected in its entirety. After being officially received at New
York's City Hall by Mayor WILLIAM O'DWYER (lower photo),
,Beigin said that tribute should be
paid to those who sacrificed their
lives on battlefields, on scaffolds and in concentration camps, in
the fight for the re-establishment of the free
Jewish State.
UN Truce Observers:
military observers in Palestine (left) from Belgium,
France and the United States are attached to the United Nations Mediator to supervise military
activities and to enforce the truce between Isra elis and Arabs. At right is one of the many radio
communication stations designed to keep observers' outposts in continuous communication with UN
headquarters. The announcement made this week that Dr. Ralph J. Bunche is leaving for Palestine
to arrange for Arab-Jewish peace talks is taken a s an indication that Israel and the Arab states are
prepared for direct negotiations to settle their dis pules.