Norwich Insurance Offer To Jewish Director

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30312, 12 December 1963, Page 4

Norwich Insurance Offer To Jewish Director

(N.Z^.A.-Reuter—Copyriflht) LONDON, December 11. Sir Barnett Jaaner, president of the Jewish Board of Deputies, said today that the Norwich Union insurance societies had offered to restore Lord Mancroft—a Jew—as a director after his resignation under alleged Arab pressure. Sir Barnett Janaer said the offer was made some days ago. Asked if Lord Mancroft had accepted, Sir Barnett Janner replied: “You had better talk to them about that.” The statement came after an hour’s meeting with Sir Robert Bignold, president of the Norwich Union, and other representatives of the company. Sir Barnett Janner said:— “We are very satisfied with the outcome.” The Norwich representatives, he Mid, had stated they had “no intention to bring aid or comfort” to the Arab boycott of firms doing business with Israel.

They proposed to continue their business interests in Israel and other countries and to develop them. Sir Robert Bignold, president of Norwich Union, when asked if Lord Mancroft had replied to the offer of reinstatement, said: “He has known all along there was a vacancy open to him.” A spokesman for the Arab Information Centre in London said: “Presumably if Lord Mancroft goes back on the Norwich Union board the Norwich Union will go back on the black list.” Lord Mancroft would not say here today whether he had decided to accept the offer of reinstatement as a director of Norwich Union. The Arab League’s Israel

Boycott Bureau had asked all Arab countries to “extend all possible facilities” to the Norwich Union, which had “complied with the boycott regulations,” the authoritative newspapers “Al Abram,” reported from Cairo. It said the Norwich Union had secured markets in 13 Arab countries and seven emirates ae the result of Lord Mancroft’s resignation. In Jerusalem the Israeli

Insurance Company, largely owned by the Israeli Government, decided to cut its links with the Norwich Union when Lord Mancraft resign ed. Other Israeli enterprises, including a chemicals and phosphates combined, were also considering cutting off relations with Norwich.