“O Globo,” the Rio newspaper, has reported that the Brazilian Foreign Ministry “advised” the Arab League office in Brasilia not to publish an anti-Begin booklet. The request to publish a booklet attacking Premier Menachem Begin of Israel was made by the Arab League office, on behalf of Farid Sawan, the Palestine Liberation Organization representative in Brazil, who is attached to the Arab League office.
In denying the request, the Foreign Ministry cited Brazilian law which forbids offensive expressions against heads of friendly nations. The Arab League office continued to press for permission to print the anti-Begin booklet, asserting that the Israel Embassy in Brasilia had recently published a statement about PLO head Yasir Arafat, describing him as a terrorist and a criminal.
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