Campaign for Clemency Gets
Underway to Save Eichmann
Moral Issue Injected,
World Sources Utilized
Immediately after the Israel Supreme
Court rejected the appeal against the death
sentence for Adolf Eichmann, a movement
was launched to secure clemency for the
Nazi murderer.
While the only apparent recourse at
present seems to be an appeal for mercy to
Israel's President Itzhak Ben-Zvi, it is be-
coming evident that Dr. Robert Servatius is
seeking means of reaching international
quarters to pressure Israeli legal authorities
against the imposition of the death penalty
upon the mass murderer. He has been ask-
ed by Eichmann to appeal to the United
Nations and the West German government.
There also is being put into action
every available moral influence and the
sentiments against capital punishment in
the efforts to save Eichmann.
Meanwhile; the questions are being
posed in many quarters : where is the money
coming from in the big drive to save Eich-
mann's life? Is Nazi money involved?
Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News
JERUSALEM — The special Israel Supreme
Court tribunal Tuesday upheld the conviction of
Adolf Eichmann for his role in the slaughter of
six million Jews, rejecting his defense that he had
merely acted under orders and likewise rejecting
his challenge of the jurisdiction of the Jerusalem
District Court which tried him and of the compe-
tence of the three judges who found him guilty.
Eichmann himself showed no signs of ner-
vousness when he was brought into court to hear
the verdict, although the courtroom was tense and
even stolid Robert Servatius, his attorney, showed
signs of strain. Eichmann scrambled to his feet in
the bullet proof dock when the judges entered the
courtroom and stood at attention.
Presiding Judge Yitzhak Olshan called on
American-born Deputy Presiding Judge Simon
Agranat to begin reading the court's lengthy de-
cision.
After reviewing the indictment, probably
the gravest to be faced by a single human being,
the tribunal's judgment concurred with the Jer-
usalem District Court in upholding the juris-
diction of an Israel court over Eichmann and in
the crimes for which he was charged. In view
of the seriousness of the issue, however, the
tribunal formulated a special opinion.
It concluded that "pursuant to the principle
of universal jurisdiction and acting in the capacity
of guardian of international law and agent for
enforcement, Israel is entitled to try the appellant
and it is immaterial that Israel did not exist when
the offenses were committed."
The judgment said the court "fully agrees
with .every word" of the District Court judgment
which found additional support for its jurisdiction
with regard to crimes directed against Jews in
the connecting link between Israel and the Jewish
People, including the State of Israel and the
Jewish victims of the catastrophe.
(Continued on Page 32)
JEWISH NEWS
DETROIT
A Weekly Review
J
MICHIGAN
z of Jewish Events
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper, Incorporating The Jewish Chronicle
VOL. XLI—No. 14
17100 W. 7 Mile Rd., Detroit 35
June 1, 1962
Ben-Gurion's Attacks
on Goldmann Create
Rift in Jevirish Ranks
Israel Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's attack on Dr. Nahum Goldmann, which
has received the approval of the Israel cabinet, threatens to develop into the most
serious conflict between Israeli officials and Zionist leaders. While there were con-
troversies between Ben-Gurion and Jewish leaders in the past over Zionist policies
vis-a-vis Israel, the present flare-up points to a rift more serious than any other re-
corded in the past between Zionist and Israeli leaders.
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion declared that he regards the issue over
meetings between Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Zionist Organization. and American
statesmen as "closed."
Speaking at a meeting of the thud Olami, the world organization of Labor Zionists, the Prime
Minister said that he "welcomed" Dr. Goldmann's endorsement of the principle that only representa-
tives of the Israel government are entitled to handle State affairs, either internally or on the interna-
tional level.
He said that was the main issue of his letter on the subject to Moshe Sharett. chairman of the
Jewish Agency executive. and declared he now regards the issue as closed.
However. the Prime Minister delivered a strong attack on Zionism, reiterating his previous
statements on the subject including the concept that non-Zionists had built Israel.
Speaking in one of his more belligerent moods, Ben-Gurion asked: "How many Moroccan Jews
bought shekels and how many of their delegates participi.ted in Zionist Congresses? Yet it is they who
built Dimona," he declared.
Speaking in Yiddish at the Thud Olami meeting here,
devoted to the role and importance of
the Zionist Organization, Ben-Gurion asserted that "today's challenge for world Jewry is aliya." He
urged that every Jewish conununity, even the smallest of towns, should send at least one person
to live here. He called for a new approach to have youth from the free world come to Israel.
The Premier's address was repeatedly interrupted by Sharett, who defended the Zionist move-
ment. Fierce dialogues were exchanged by the two leaders. Sharett declared in his
address that he
"despaired" of convincing Ben-Gurion, who "never replies to arguments anyhow." that his anti-Zionist
conception was wrong and that the State was built not only by those who came to Israel. but also through
the aid of the Zionist movement.
"If it were not for the Zionist organization. those Jews from Morocco would not have come
here," Sharett said. He noted that Zionist leaders like Herzl and others had not come to Israel but
were still great Zionists.
Goldmann, meanwhile, discussed the issue at a press conference here. "I cannot resist the
impression that, what accounted for this procedure, was an intention to hurt me." he said. "The
simplest and most natural way would have been to cable me or telephone me, to find out what had
happened, or to await my arrival."
"Mr. Ben-Gurion's letter to Mr. Sharett," said Goldmann, "was only the last of a series of reac-
tions to my activities on the part of the Foreign Ministry. In order to avoid further misunderstandings
of
ing this nature I would gladly be prepared to undertake not to raise in the future any questions regard-
Israel relations with other governments in talks either with the American Government or the gov-
ernment of any other country, and I shall feel relieved if, from now on, no such requests were made
on me by ministers or other Israeli representatives."
Goldmann emphasized, however, that "regarding my general contacts with governments and
diplomats, I certainly propose to continue to maintain them, primarily as president of the World Jew-
ish Congress and chairman of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany—in some
cases also on the basis of purely personal connections and friendships."
At the outset of his statement, Goldmann expressed full agreement with the principle that the
Israel government alone is entitled to negotiate with governments about matters concerning Israel.
"I never claimed this right," he said, "nor have I ever actually intervened except when asked."
He said that his meeting with Dr. Joseph Johnson, special Middle East Arab refugee emis-
sary for the Palestine Conciliation Commission, had taken place on the initiative of Rabbi Irving
Miller, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. At lunch,
Goldmann said, he then explained to Johnson Israel's position with regard to the Arab refugee problem.
(Continued on Page 5)
U.S. Rabbinical Body Raps Goldmann
for 'Snide Attack Upon the Synagogue'
NEW YORK (JTA)—Criticism against Dr. Nahum
president of the World Zionist
Organization, was voiced here by the Synagogue Council of Goldmann,
America—representative body of Ortho-
dox, Conservative and Reform rabbinical and con gr egational organizations—for his remarks at the
opening session of the Zionist Actions Committee in Jerusalem on the trend in the American Jew-
ish community to base the whole of Jewish life solely on the synagogue."
"Although it is obvious," Goldmann told the Actions Committee, that the synagogue has
always played a central role in Jewish life and must continue to do so, and nobody will deny the
great beneficial influence which the growing number of synagogues, congregations and community
centers have on American Jewish life, yet, to try to organize the Jewish people exclusively on the
synagogue, is a distortion of the character of the Jewish people which was never only a religion
or a church but which has many other elements."
"American Jewry," Goldmann continued, "must not try to become
a purely religious de-
nomination among other religious groups in America, but must maintain the consciousness of
being part of the Jewish people all over the world in its unique character, which is much more
than a purely religious one and is becoming more and more tied up morally, emotionally and
(Continued on Page 3)
V
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DR. NAHUM GOLDMAN
DAVID BEN-GURION