Minister of State Julian Amery accepted an invitation today to address the Jewish National Fund Guildhall dinner May 7. Arab protests mounted meanwhile against the appearance of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinborough at the affair. Prince Philip will speak and will be presented with a volume recording the planting of a million-tree forest near Nazareth in honor of his and Queen Elizabeth II’s 25th wedding anniversary.
Ahmed Anis, director of the Arab League Office here, warned at a press conference that the presentation would put a severe strain on Anglo-Arab relations. “It is of course natural that British Jews should wish to pay tribute to the Royal Family,” he said, “but it would have been even more appropriate if the million trees were planted in Britain. The Arabs’ real misgivings is that the land on which the forest is being planted is Arab land, unjustly expropriated. The legislation under which the land was taken away can only be described as legalized robbery,” he said.
Anis claimed that there had been widespread disapproval in diplomatic circles. He said a protest to the Palace has been organized by Arab students in London. “The Crown should decline acceptance of this forest because of the significance to the Arabs.” he said.
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