British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan may visit Israel as a result of an invitation extended to him by Israel’s Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion during their talk here last Thursday, it was indicated here today.
Mr. Ben-Gurion was resting today in Oxford as the guest of Sir Isaiah Berlin, noted British-Jewish statesman and Professor of Political Theory at Oxford University. The Israel Prime Minister visited the Blackwell bookstore in Oxford and purchased there a number of books dealing with philosophy and political subjects.
The Israel Prime Minister is expected to extend his stay in England till Wednesday, Yesterday he met with Hugh Gaitskell, leader of the Opposition in the British Parliament, and discussed with him Middle East issues.
At a press conference here, Mr. Ben-Gurion revealed that he had made two attempts prior to his departure from Israel for the United States to arrange a meeting with Nikita S. Khrushchev, the Soviet Prime Minister. He said he still wanted to meet Mr. Khrushchev and hoped the meeting could be arranged.
He told the press representatives that he had informed the Soviet envoy in Israel, Michael Bodrov, that he wanted to see the Soviet leader and the envoy promised him an answer. When this was not forthcoming before his departure for the United States was scheduled. Mr. Ben-Gurion recounted, he raised the issue once again with Mr. Bodrov. This time he was told that the matter could be discussed after Mr. Ben-Gurion’s return from his tour of the Western capitals.
Asked what he expected President Eisenhower and Mr. Macmillan to do about the Middle East at the forthcoming summit conference, Mr. Ben-Gurion said he expected the Big Two leaders “to strengthen peace in the area.” He stated that he was ready to meet United Arab Republic President Gamal Abdel Nasser “at any time, any place.”
Mr. Ben-Gurion denied reports that either Mr. Eisenhower or United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold had pressed Israel, during his recent talks with these leaders, to alter its plans for use of Jordan River waters for irrigation purposes.
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