Premier Levi Eshkol, back home in Israel after a 13-day visit to France, spoke enthusiastically today about French hospitality and of France’s unchanging friendly attitude toward Israel.
Referring also to his official visit to the United States last month, he said that “in the last two months I have visited two large nations and their leaders, two states that are fundamental pillars of our policy. The conclusion of the two visits is that Israel – which fosters its security and relies on its own physical and political deterrent power – does not stand alone and isolated.”
He said his visit to France had made it possible to renew and freshen ties of friendship with that country. “My most interesting meetings with the French Premier, the Foreign Minister, as well as with other Cabinet members, and above all, with President de Gaulle,” he declared, “strengthened my belief that there is great understanding and friendship between the two nations, and the two governments.”
Noting that his meeting with President de Gaulle had been his first with the French statesman, he declared; “I was very impressed by his warm, friendly attitude towards Israel and its achievements, against a background of deep knowledge and close follow-up of events in our region.” He added that the French were as “ardent” as ever in their friendship toward Israel in all spheres and all fields. He expressed his gratitude to the French people and their leaders for their hospitality, and expressed the hope that he might be able to return that hospitality to President de Gaulle and other French leaders in Israel.
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