Israel’s role in aiding the development of new states of Asia and Africa was described here today at the New School for Social Research by Eliahu Elath, Israel’s former Ambassador to Washington and London and now head of the Afro-Asian Institute for Labor Studies, established in Tel Aviv by the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations jointly with the Histadrut, Israel’s labor federation.
“We are doing modest work, but-we think we’re successful,” Mr. Elath said. “Israel is small; that’s one reason the Afro-Asian people trust us. Then they see us as something of a pressure cooker. We’ve had to move fast to get where we are; they want to do the same thing.”
Asserting that he was hopeful of eventual peace with the Arabs, the former Ambassador stated: “There is nothing mystical or messianic about my belief. The fact is there is really no fundamental physical clash between us. There is plenty of geography and plenty of room for both. The only way nations can exist in the Middle East today is to raise their living standards. We think we are showing the way.”
The best thing for Israel and the Arabs. Mr. Elath declared, would be to “put our eggs in the same basket. It was a great tragedy when Eric Johnston’s plan to develop the Jordan’s waterpower fell through. The worst thing of course, is for outsiders to arm the Arabs. This could lead to war.”
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