Israel’s Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion arrived at Idlewild airport here tonight en route to Ottawa, where he has been invited by the Canadian Government on an official visit. He was met at the airport by Ambassador Avraham Harman, who came here especially from Washington; Ambassador Michael Comay, head of the Israeli delegation to the United Nations; Dr.Binyamin Eliav, Israel Consul General in New York; and Shimshon Arad, Deputy Consul General. A representative of Mayor Robert F. Wagner was also at the airport to greet him.
Upon his landing, Mr. Ben-Gurion was whisked off to a hotel for a night’s rest. He will be flown tomorrow early in the morning from New York to Ottawa in a special Canadian Air Force plane sent by the Canadian Government to bring him as the official guest of the State.
Accompanying the Prime Minister are Pinhas Sapir, the Commerce and Industry Minister; Dr. Haim Yahil, director-general of the Foreign Ministry; Yitzhak Navon, the Prime Minister’s secretary; and Colonel Chaim Ben David, his military aide. Mrs. Ben-Gurion stopped over in London and remained there with her daughter, Raanana. Theodor Kollek, director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, arrived here earlier to make the arrangements for Mr. Ben-Gurion’s visit to Canada and his short stay later in New York.
The White House announced last night that President Kennedy will meet with Mr. Ben-Gurion next Tuesday afternoon in New York. The Israel Prime Minister will remain in Canada until Sunday, and will proceed from there on an unofficial visit to New York, during which he will also meet with American Jewish leaders.
(Mr. Ben-Gurion was seen off this morning at Lydda airport in Israel by Parliamentary Speaker Kaddish Luz, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, members of the diplomatic corps and Army officers. A military band played Hatikvah, and the Prime Minister inspected an honor guard before boarding the EI Al Britannia plane which took him on the flight to New York via London. Asked whether he had any statement to make before departing, the Prime Minister said with a smile: “I’m returning in a short time, and when I come back I will tell everything.”)
Mr.Ben-Gurion will meet with United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold Sunday afternoon, at the latter’s home on Park Avenue, in New York, The prime Minister will use the opportunity, during his stop-over in New York on his return from Canada, to discuss the international situation with the Secretary General of the UN, it was indicated today.
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