Henry Ford II. chairman of the Ford Motor Co., told Israelis today that notwithstanding their industrial, scientific and cultural achievements, their image in the world today is that of a militaristically inclined nation. The Detroit auto magnate said the lack of a good name in spheres other than the military was “quite a problem.”
Ford, who is visiting Israel as a guest of the Israel Manufacturers Association on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and of the Prime Minister’s Third Economic Conference, answered questions at a press conference here. Concerning the Arab boycott, he said his company wanted to sell cars everywhere but would not accept the proposition that it may not sell cars to one country if it wants to sell them to another.
Referring to Israel’s automobile industry. Ford said the new Ford assembly line in Nazareth, while an important production facility, was not a step toward independent auto production in Israel by the Ford Motor Co. Ford said that his firm was prepared to invest in auto assembly plants here but not in independent auto production because the Israeli market is too limited. He proposed that Israel produce spare parts for sale to auto manufacturers abroad.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
