Increased tension between East and West and recent developments in Syria constitute the main dangers facing Israel for the New Year. Premier David Ben Gurion said today in a special interview in “Bamachaneh,” the Israel army weekly.
Declaring that the continued supply of arms to Syria and Jordan both were a grave danger to Israel which must maintain its armed forces in a position of high preparedness and utmost efficiency, the Premier added that Israel must strive to win the friendship of nations friendly to France, including Germany and other nations participating in the European Common Market plan.
Summing up Israel’s achievements during the past Jewish year, the Premier said it would be impossible to exaggerate the value of French aid to Israel, which he called of “paramount importance.” He urged finding means to help Afro-Asian nations to help themselves with the aid of Israel’s scientific and technical know-how and with Israel army personnel as had been done with Ghana and Burma.
In listing Israel’s recent achievements, he stressed the gains of the Sinai campaign, increased immigration, free navigation in the Gulf of Akaba and completion of the Elath-Mediterranean oil pipeline, the first public announcement of the completion of the Beer-sheba-Mediterranean section which is carrying oil from Elath toward the Mediterranean.
He said the Israel army was progressing in modern scientific and technical developments of modern warfare, adding this was “not done in talks or in papers.”
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