Israel’s Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion arrived here today and was met at the Logan International Airport by top state and city officials. Israeli diplomatic representatives in this country and leaders of the Boston Jewish community. He will be the recipient tomorrow of an honorary degree at Brandeis University.
(In Washington, White House press secretary James C. Hagerty announced today officially that President Eisenhower will meet with Prime Minister Ben Gurion at the White House on Thursday at 11 A. M. Mr. Hagerty described the forthcoming meeting as an “informal talk.”)
The 71-year-old Israeli statesman debarked from the plane in good spirits and evidently not tired by the long flight from Israel. Strict security was imposed in connection with his visit here, the Prime Minister being guarded by both United States and Israeli secret service agents.
“It is nine years since I was in the United States. ” Mr. Ben-Gurion said, “and I am happy that I was able to take advantage of the opportunity to re-visit this country and renew my contacts with old friends. The warm friendship which I met all over America on my last visit in 1951 is still fresh in my memory. We in Israel deeply reciprocate the friendship to us by the great American Republic. We fully appreciate what the United States is doing to preserve peace, buttress liberty and assist other countries in their development.”
Declaring that during the nine years since he was here last, the population of Israel has doubled in size, her agriculture and industry have greatly expanded, and her research and scientific institutions have made significant progress, the Prime Minister continued: “Our democratic system of Government has been consolidated. We have won new friends in many parts of the world and have made some contributions to assisting the development of other countries of several continents. We look to the future with confidence, though not without concern, being fully conscious of the difficulties that face us.
“I am certain we shall overcome these difficulties, as we have done in the past, and I believe that the progress we have made in the sphere of economic and social reconstruction, of scientific research, and of democratic government will be of benefit, not only to ourselves but to the whole region in which we live in the Middle East.”
“The entire people of Israel sends through me its heartfelt greetings to the people of the United States and wishes it success in fulfilling the great international mission which history has assigned to it to fortify peace, establish the rule of Justice between nations, and maintain the dignity of men, ” the Prime Minister concluded.
Mr. Ben-Gurion was asked whether, in his opinion, the United Nations efforts to resolve Israel’s grievance about the United Arab Republic blockade of the Suez Canal was a failure. He said he would have no comment on this point until he has met with United Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. The Prime Minister was scheduled to rest for the remainder of today.
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