The Israel Foreign Ministry disclosed today the receipt of a new letter from President Frondizi of Argentina to Prime Minister David Gen-Gurion on the impasse between the two countries concerning the capture of the Nazi killer Adolf Eichmann. The contents of the letter–which were not revealed–were cabled immediately to the Prime Minister in Paris. It will be published simultaneously tomorrow night here and in Buenos Aires.
The letter reportedly did not introduce any new elements which could alter the deadlock which prompted Argentina to ask a Security Council session on the issue. It was believed that the letter did not contain any new proposals or suggestions which would require an Israel reply.
Israel sources meanwhile indicated here today that a Frondizi-Ben-Gurion meeting in Europe was still possible but they added that no such arrangements had been made. It was indicated that Israel agreement to such a meeting was not conditioned on Argentine withdrawal of its request for Security Council consideration of its demand for the return of Eichmann.
Foreign Ministry officials received the news of the Argentine request for a Security Council meeting without alarm. Observers here reiterated their belief that the Security Council debate might be helpful in restoring the Eichmann matter to its “proper dimensions.” The nature of Eichmann’s capture in Buenos Aires is viewed as a minor technical issue compared with the enormity of the crimes involved and the “patent absurdity” of any move which might help Eichmann to escape justice.
Israel sources also argue that the UN was established to prevent re-occurrence of Nazi type crimes and that it was “unthinkable” that the UN should now become a kind of de facto protector of Nazi war criminals. Israel officials have meanwhile contacted here and in other capitals representatives of countries which are members of the Security Council. These representatives have been briefed on Israel’s position.
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.
