Eventually, Bergmann “ascended the dais amid a storm of applause and
under a second storm of applause approached the Observer of the Arab
League and shook hands with him.”^20 In his closing speech, “Pandit
Nehru expressed regret that Professor Bergmann should have been hurt
by him, and apologized.”^21
However, Nehru did not miss the opportunity to reiterate the position
of the Congress Party. Expressing sympathy for the prolonged suff ering
of the Jewish people, he stated: “the people of India, necessarily for vari-
ous reasons into which I shall not go, have always said that Palestine is
essentially an Arab country and no decision can be made without the
consent of the Arabs.”^22 He still hoped that following the withdrawal of
the “the third party,” the issue would “be settled in cooperation between
them and not by any appeal to or reliance upon any outsiders.”^23 Berg-
mann and his delegation were not happy with Nehru’s overall attitude
during the conference. In the words of one, “most [of ] us had the feeling
that during the whole Conference that Pandit Nehru was not very keen to
greet us or meet us in the Hall or Lounge, the Dining Room or wherever
he happened to meet us in public.”^24
At the same time, according to Shimoni, who drafted the main report,
there were some “positive” outcomes.^25 The Bergmann incident “aroused
a special interest in our aff airs, bringing them into the limelight and giv-
ing them a publicity they might never have attained otherwise.” Partly to
assuage their feelings, all delegates “endeavored to be even more polite
and sympathetic, at least formally.” The controversy also “brought us into
contact with more people,” and this resulted in David Hacohen^26 being
“elected Chairman for two days of the Economic Round Table Group.”
Above all, Shimoni was certain that the dinner invitation with Nehru
“was an outcome of this incident.”^27 During this meeting, Nehru agreed
to extend the stay of the Afghan Jewish refugees in India for six more
months.^28 The conference enabled the delegation to meet a number of
offi cials, nonoffi cial leaders, business fi gures, and members of the Jew-
ish community in India. Their meeting with Mahatma Gandhi “lasted
only ten minutes.”^29 The anger and disappointment of the Zionists over
his 1938 statement explains its brevity.
Once the conference ended, the delegation traveled to diff erent parts
of India and met a number of persons. The most important meeting took
place in the princely state of Bikaner. Its prime minister, Sardar K. M.
Panikkar, put forth some interesting ideas. He strongly felt that follow-
ing the partition of the subcontinent, public opinion in India, especially
186 nehru and the era of deterioration, 1947–1964