“We have not established the Israeli capital in Jerusalem; it was King David who established Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.” Premier David Ben Gurion today told a group of 38 Christian educators and clergymen who have been travelling through the Near East. The group, headed by John Hoffman, president of the Winona Lake School of Theology, left here today after a three-day visit.
The Premier met with the group at his vacation headquarters on Mt. Carmel. He agreed to submit to their questioning and the meeting lasted half an hour. At the end of it, one of the Americans commented that they had learned more about the problem of Israel and the Middle East in the short session than during their tours of Egypt, Jordan and Syria. The group also met with President Ben Zvi.
Replying to a question about the establishment of the State of Israel and the War of Liberation, Mr. Ben Gurion pointed out that “we had agreed to the United Nations resolution on partition, but on the second day (after the state was established) we were attacked. We are still being attacked.” He said that the Arabs came across the Israeli borders then and are continuing to do so.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
