Ben-gurion Sees Mid-east Peace Dependent on Relations of West USSR

Former Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, arriving here for a brief visit, said today that pacification in the Middle East was dependent on better relations between the Soviet Union, Europe and the United States. Adding that no one could predict when this would happen, he asserted that “day will assuredly come.”

He termed the scheduled visit of former West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to Israel next month, in response to a long-standing invitation from the former Premier, a visit of “utmost importance.” He cited the fact that there were in Israel many survivors of the Nazi regime “who cannot forget what Germany did to them and to the Jewish people, and we must respect their feelings. ” But, he added, those who argue that Germany has not changed “will be able to see that there is a different Germany now, represented by Dr. Adenauer and others. Dr. Adenauer is as far from Hitler as any man could be.”

Declining to comment on Israel’s internal affairs and on Britain’s current general election campaign, Mr. Ben-Gurion did comment that he remained convinced that British-style elections would suit Israel, and that he was still urging such a system in Israel.

He said he planned to devote an address here to the Joint Palestine Appeal dinner. next Tuesday, to the problems of Israel’s Negev area. He predicted that the Negev would some day contain 2, 000, 000 Israelis. He reported that a study center at Side Boker, where he maintains a vacation home, was now providing facilities for 300 students at various levels. He said the center should be expanded not only to university status, but also as a facility for research into problems of the Negev which, if it is to have a large population, needs exploitation to the limits of knowledge.