Reports published in the American press linking the arrival in Washington yesterday of Francis H. Russel, American Charge d’Affaires in Israel, with alleged Israeli plans to attack Syria and Lebanon this summer were described here today as “wildest nonsense” by a spokesman of the Israel Foreign Ministry.
“It is odd that stories of this kind crop up with predicted dates of ‘planned’ attacks,” the spokesman said. He pointed out that each time the predicted dates have passed and nothing has happened. The stories, he said, are then repeated after a short while with a new date of “attack.”
“Those who spread such tales regarding Israel’s alleged aggressive intentions are either utterly irresponsible or pursuing some malevolent object of their own,” the Foreign Ministry official stated. “Is it possible that certain American circles have an interest in spreading such allegations in order that they may subsequently represent themselves as the saviours of peace?” he asked.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
