Deputy Prime Minister Yigal Allon told a mixed audience of Jews and Arab Christians here yesterday that a peace treaty with mutual security guarantees between Israel and the Arab states is Israel’s principle aim. He said the Arab states needed peace even more than Israel in order to divert the money they now invest in the arms race to developments for the benefit of all the people in the area. Mr. Allon spoke at a meeting of the Arab residents of Nazareth, the ancient Christian town in the Galillee, and Jewish residents of the new suburb known as Upper Nazareth.
An Arab member of the Knesset (Parliament) became the first non-Jewish Israeli to receive a decoration awarded for special services to the State. The decoration was presented to Seif Aldin Azuabi yesterday by Mr. Allon in recognition of Mr. Azuabi’s efforts to unite Arabs and Jews both before and after Israel’s independence and for special unspecified services to the nation.
The award was created recently by a special ministerial committee for decorations sanctioned by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. In the past it has been conferred on former members of Haganah, and the Irgun Zvai Leumi, Jewish para-military organizations of the pre-Statehood era.
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