The Israeli Government reportedly was hammering out a policy today of refusal to take any initiative toward talks of the transfer of British Shell Company operations in Israel to a successor firm. This policy was being considered, it was understood, because of the silence of the British company as to how it plans to wind up its Israeli operations.
Israeli sources noted that because the Shell concession authorizes the government to take over the Haifa refineries in the event of any effort by the company to shut down refinery operations, the government was in a strong position to influence the terms of Shell’s withdrawal. This position, these sources added, was strengthened by the existence of both foreign and local oil firms ready to take over most of the Shell company’s marketing here.
A difference of opinion on the issue between the Israeli Foreign and Finance Ministries was reported. The Foreign Ministry was understood to still have hopes that worldwide pressure might result in modification of the original Shell withdrawal decision. Finance Ministry officials were understood, however, to be more concerned with getting the best terms in a transfer to a successor company than about the political implications of the Shell withdrawal.
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