An open-air rally against Israel’s diplomatic relations with West Germany was attended last night by several thousand demonstrators at Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv. A number of arrests took place.
In other parts in Israel, police also arrested demonstrators. In Ramat Gan, police arrested and later released on bail 15 members of Hashomer Hatzair on suspicion of defacing public property. Six others were arrested in Haifa for demonstrations and for distributing leaflets against Dr. Rolf Pauls, West German Ambassador, due to arrive here this week. The yellow Star of David, with the letter “J” in the center, replicas of the emblem the Nazis forced their Jewish captives to wear, was painted on streets and highways in Ramat Gan, Beersheba, Tiberias, Acre and western Galilee, Slogans protesting against the West German envoy were painted in Tiberias.
The rally in Tel Aviv, organized by the leftist Mapam Party, called on “Wenrmacht Officer Pauls” to “go home.” Other sponsors were the Organization of Former Partisans; Hashomair Hatzair, the left-wing youth movement; the Mahnot Olim Youth Movement; and a number of members of Kibbutz Meuhad collectives.
There were no speeches in the brief program. Actress Batya Lanoet read a poem, “The Vow,” by Avraham Shlonsky, proclaiming “We will not foret until the tenth generation” the Nazi genocide of European Jewry. The Song of the Partisans was played, and the demonstrators stood in silence for two minutes. The rally closed with the singing of Hatikvan.
The Israel Government meanwhile announced today that the Israel Embassy in West Germany will be situated in the Bonn suburb of Bad Godesberg. The intended Embassy building there is still under construction. The Israel Embassy offices will be housed temporarily at Cologne, where the consular staff and the economic division will be located. Israeli Ambassador-Designate Asher Ben-Nathan was expected to leave for West Germany at the end of this week.
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