Prime Minister David Ben Gurion praised West Germany for fulfilling reparations obligations and expressed hope for the establishment of diplomatic relations in the near future. He noted that reparations payments were “going on normally.” He made known his views at a press conference here this week-end.
In a review of Middle East problems, the Premier reiterated Israel’s desire to negotiate peace with Egypt whenever that nation wishes. He said Israel was ready to help solve the refugee problem, but denied that negotiations on this matter were in progress.
Mr. Ben Gurion said he saw no contradiction in Israel’s refusal to sit with Egypt in the Mixed Armistice Commission while at the same time declaring her readiness to negotiate peace. He made the point that the armistice agreement provided obligations and rights for both sides and that it was an impossible situation when Israel was pressured to fulfill her obligations while Egypt enjoyed rights of her own choosing.
The Premier repeated previous assertions that Arab rulers were using the refugee problem as a political weapon against Israel. He said that since 1948 he had been urging refugee resettlement in Iraq or Syria where there was adequate land and water and manpower was needed. When asked how many refugees Israel was prepared to take back, assuming the majority would settle in Arab countries, Ben Gurion replied: “Why discriminate between 90 percent of the refugees who would resettle among their brethren under Arab rulers and the ten percent who according to this assumption should be returned to Israel?”
Discussing the Middle East in relation to the great powers, the Premier said that Arab-Israeli peace was attainable even without the termination of the global cold war, “Although East-West rivalry increases Middle East tension, Middle East trouble also serves as a stimulant for worsening the global situation,” he observed. “The time will come when the Arab peoples will understand that they will not be able to reach real independence from the great powers on either side unless they make peace with Israel.”
On the matter of recent border raids from Syria, Ben Gurion felt that they might be the responsibility of local commanders only. However, he added, the responsibility for them rests with Damascus “or even somebody higher.” Nevertheless, he said, he intends to assume they are just local incidents. Asked whether Israel would encourage democratic elements in neighboring countries, the Premier replied that his country would not interfere with the internal affairs of bordering states. “Let those people determine their own regime,” he remarked.
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.
