Sources close to the Imperial Chemical Industries, chief source of Israel’s chemical imports, said today that despite recently renewed heavy Arab pressures to stop operations in Israel, the company is continuing business in the Jewish State and the Israeli branch had no reason to expect a change in policy.
These sources revealed that Arab pressure on the big chemical firm was first applied two years ago but that after top-level talks in London involving Eliahu Elath.
Israeli Ambassador to England, and British Foreign Office officials, it was agreed that ICI operations should continue unchanged. The decision was reaffirmed when Arab pressure was renewed in 1955, these sources asserted.
ICI sells about eight million Israeli pounds worth of chemicals in Israel annually and has invested nearly half a million pounds sterling in Haifa chemicals and fertilizers.
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