More than 20,000 books from 25 nations are on display at Israel’s first international book fair which opened here today. Several thousand Israelis flocked to the exhibition, the first of its kind in the Middle East.
The fair was opened by Jerusalem Mayor Mordechai Ish-Shalom, who, after welcoming the visitors, read a message from President Izhak Ben-Zvi which was prepared before the President fell critically ill on Friday. The exhibit is arranged in national sections comprising works in ten languages including German. It will remain open for one week.
Interior Minister Moshe Haim Shapiro, who greeted the fair on behalf of the Government, expressed regret that there were no entries from Arab countries at the fair, which, he said, represents the best efforts of literate mankind. He called on Arab men of letters to join their Jewish colleagues to achieve a rapprochement between both peoples.
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