Ben Gurion Asks Hammarskjold to Come to Israel; Says He is Welcome

An exchange of letters between United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold and Premier David Ben Gurion including a message cabled to New York last night which constituted an invitation, was released here today by Israeli officials. The release of the message followed two days of confused reports at UN headquarters in New York and here.

Meanwhile, no final word has been received from Mr. Hammarskjold on whether he will visit Israel. (In New York last night, embarking for a flight to Rome from where he will go to Geneva, the Secretary General said he was “not certain” whether he would go to Israel).

In his latest message, the Premier informed Mr. Hammarskjold that he would be welcome in Israel if he wishes to come. He did note, however, that in any discussions Israel would put chief stress on the question of Egyptian belligerency (on which Mr. Hammarskjold has so far failed to achieve progress).

Mr. Ben Gurion further said that there is always room for an exchange of views and in Israel’s view the Secretary General is welcome whenever he wishes to visit a member nation of the UN. Even if there were no immediate results from such conversations, Mr. Ben Gurion indicated, long-term benefits may accrue from a clarification of opinions.

Israeli officials denied press reports to the effect that Mr. Ben Gurion told Mr. Hammarskjold that there was little sense to any discussions on Israel-Egyptian relations as long as Egypt claims belligerency.

The Foreign Ministry announced late yesterday that James P. Richards, President Eisenhower’s special representative to the Middle East on the Eisenhower Doctrine had postponed his visit to Israel, which was scheduled for early in May. Israeli newspapers asserted today that the U.S. feared an unfavorable reaction by Egypt if Mr. Richards went to Israel at this time.