The Eden Protest

Zionist Youths Demonstrate Against Eden; Rabbis Hold Prayer
January 31, 1956


NEW YORK (Jan. 30)

Shouting slogans insisting that there be “No Munich in Washington” and that “Eden Go Home,” Betar, Zionist youth organization allied with the Herut Party, extremist right-wing political organization in Israel, picketed the dock here where Britains Sir Anthony landed. Betar had announced that about 500 persons would participate in the picketing. A police official said he had counted the pickets and that “at no time were there more than 22″ demonstrating.

Police had thrown up barriers to keep the picketers from coming too close to the pier. On the other side of the barriers, encircled by a police detachment which at times seemed larger than the group of pickets, a group of young men and women paraded with signs and banners, and carrier imitation wooden coffins labeled “Neville Chamberlain” and “Anthony Chamberlain.” The reference was to Britains Prime Minister in 1938 who negotiated the Munich agreement by which Britain was charged with having “sold out” to Hitler.

A Convocation of Prayer for Peace for Israel and the world, in connection with the Eisenhower-Eden talks, was held today by the New York Board of Rabbis which represents 700 Orthodox, Conservative and Reform rabbis in the city. Emphasizing that they pray “for America’s and Britain’s sake and for the sake of peace here and there and everywhere,” the rabbis issued a declaration urging the Western Powers to “make it abundantly clear that it fervently guarantees the lives of Israel’s inhabitants, that it will tolerate no war and no encroachment or provocation leading to war, and that those states that even cherish the hope for war or another round are outlaws in the family of nations.”


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