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Ben-gurion Criticized for His Knesset Statement on Arab Refugees

October 16, 1961
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The Ichud Association, an organization of Israeli intellectuals devoted to Jewish-Arab rapprochement, issued a statement here today, under the signature of Professor Martin Buber, expressing “deep sorrow” over the statement on the Arab refugee problem made in Parliament here last week by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion.

In his statement, Mr. Ben-Gurion had categorically rejected the idea of re-admitting Arab refugees to Israel. This, he said, would destroy Israel. The Ichud statement declared that solution of the Arab refugee problem calls for “full cooperation on all sides.” It appealed to both Israel and the Arab states to “change their present attitude and agree to a solution of this problem through cooperation.”

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