Israel Facing Gravest Test Since the Establishment of the State, Ben-gurion Says

Former Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion told a press conference here last night that Israel was facing its gravest test, in the current Middle East crisis, since establishment of the Jewish State. The former Premier said that the Arab leaders were declaring night and day their intention to destroy Israel and that a people which had suffered immense losses at the hands of the Nazis could not take such threats lightly.

He added, however, that decisive action could not rest on Israel’s armed forces alone. “We do not always have to take the advice of our friends but neither can we always disregard their views,” he said. The conduct of war, even if forced on us, calls for responsibility and military wisdom, and our stand and our leadership in these days and weeks can determine our fate for better or worse.”