Abie Nathan, Israel’s self-styled “peace pilot;” flew to Cairo from Rome today in another attempt to bring peace to the Middle East. He landed at the Cairo airport and was told to leave the country. According to a Cyprus radio broadcast he was immediately placed on a plane bound for Athens.
This was the third attempt, and the third failure, of the Tel Aviv restaurant owner to meet with Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Carrying a British passport, Mr. Nathan arrived in Cairo on a Japanese airliner from Rome. It was reported here that an Egyptian spokesman said Mr. Nathan was recognized by airport authorities and taken into custody. After an investigation, he was ordered to leave the country.
In his two previous peace missions, Mr. Nathan piloted his own plane from Israel to Port Said. His first flight, Feb. 28, 1966, ended in Port Said when the local governor turned him back. He had brought peace petitions with 60,000 signatures. Upon his return to Tel Aviv he was cheered and hailed as a hero. His second flight was June 28, 1967. The 41-year-old pilot has been actively engaged in humanitarian causes, including flying relief food to Biafra.
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