The Council of Europe, an interparliamentary forum embracing 21 democratic European parliaments, will hold the annual meeting of its political committee in the Knesset in Jerusalem in 1982. This was decided at the committee’s session in Vaduz, Liechtenstein last week and is seen here in Israel as a noteworthy — even surprising — success for Israel.
Israel’s Knesset has observer status at the Council of Europe and two Knesset members, Shlomo Hillel (Labor) and Sarah Doron (Likud) attended last week’s committee session and fought for the Jerusalem venue.
Hillel told reporters today there had been stiff opposition — on political grounds — from Greek and British parliamentarians. He mentioned especially Lady Fleming, widow of penicillin discoverer Alexander Fleming, who is a member of the Greek Parliament and is “consistent in her stand against Israeli policies.” During the committee session a majority of 15 delegations supported the resolution to hold the political committee meeting in Jerusalem next March or April, Hillel said.
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