Ben Gurion Lashes out at Communist Objection to Israel’s Research for U.S.

Research projects carried out for the American Government by the Hebrew University, Technion and the Weizmann Institute will continue, Premier David Ben Gurion said in Knesset today. He was answering a question raised by the Communist deputy, Esther Wilenska, who asked whether the Israel Government would not cancel the agreement to place Israeli research at the disposal “of military designs of the American army” and of NATO.

Miss Wilenska referred to press reports stating that a U.S. Air Force mission arrived in Israel and has studied the progress of research at the Weizmann Institute, Hebrew University and Technion. Alleging that these reports aroused anxiety among Israelis, she said that “wide local circles are disturbed about the danger of involving our country in aggressive plans of rulers of the United States against the peace of the world.”

Premier Ben Gurion described the allegation as “unrestrained incitement against a friendly nation which is no less peace-loving than any other country in the world.” He added that the research projects carried out by the American Government “aroused no anxiety whatsoever among wide circles of the Israel public.” He denied that Israel is conducting any research for NATO. “If the Soviet Government should commission research work from us, we would willingly carry it out,” he declared.