The decision to launch the Sinai campaign was the best-kept secret in Israel and “only one person in Israel” knew of it five days in advance, Premier David Ben Gurion told the Knesset today.
The Premier was replying to criticism from the center and rightwing opposition deputies that Israel’s public relations in reference to the Sinai campaign was “ineffective and sometimes harmful” to the Jewish State. He said that Israel’s diplomatic representatives abroad had learned of the Sinai operation only from the press and that not even the Foreign Ministry was informed in advance.
In response to the demand of the opposition that a general debate along non-party lines be held on the role of Israel’s information services in the Sinai campaign, Mr. Ben Gurion suggested, and the opposition agreed, that the matter be submitted for discussion by the Parliamentary Security and Forcing Affairs Department.
The Premier took personal responsibility for the lack of publicity after the campaign had started, although at one point he said that he felt army commanders were right in not permitting correspondents to accompany troops during the campaign. He noted that all authority for publicity about the operation rested in him as Defense Minister. His “grave mistake” in the handling of publicity was not due to indifference, the Premier explained, but illness during the early stage of the campaign and his subsequent preoccupation with other matters.
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