Members of the Australian Cabinet, led by Minister for External Affairs Richard G. Casey, attended last night a reception given in honor of former Israel Premier Moshe Sharett by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Zionist Federation of Australia. Leading members of all political parties and deputies from both houses of Parliament attended. Prime Minister Robert G. Menzies was unable to attend because of illness.
Mr. Casey, in an address, said that Australia had backed Israel to the hilt in the events of the last six months and expressed the opinion that it would continue in this direction. Arthur Caldwell, a Labor leader, said that despite his party’s disagreement with Anglo-French intervention in Egypt, it recognizes Israel’s right to defend itself from “undoubted Egyptian aggression.”
Mr. Sharett said that Israel, which reserved full freedom of action in the next few weeks, knew in advance that it could count on the understanding of Australia. He spoke of the links between the two countries, forged in two world wars and by Australian support of Israel in the United Nations.
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