Germany is ready to pay Israel a certain sum either in the form of cash or goods as settlement of the Jewish State’s reparations claims. Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett declared here today.
Speaking at a meeting of the central committee of the Mapai, Mr. Sharett criticized the centrist General Zionist Party for voting in Parliament against direct negotiations with Germany on reparations. He asserted that “their hearts are not in the vote.” He also denounced the left-wing Mapam Party stating that the Mapam is anti-democratic “but ready to benefit from democracy.” Many parties held meetings in various cities and towns throughout Israel this week-end on the reparations question and on the demonstration and riots outside the Parliament building last Monday.
The Foreign Minister stressed that the utmost attention must be paid to the anti-government riots last Monday, but added that the importance of the incident must not be exaggerated. Asked whether the government planned to take action against Herut leader Menahem Beigin for his part in the affair. Mr. Sharett said that Beigin would not be expelled from the Knesset because such an act would be anti-democratic.
He also declared that the government is calling on the nation to isolate the anti-democratic forces. The central committee decided, among various moves designed to prevent recurrences of the Monday riots, to call upon the workers to be prepared to defend the Parliament and the Government whenever they are needed.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet today took action to prevent future occurrences of a similar nature by approving the draft of a law providing for punishment of persons who attack policemen. Many of the persons arrested following Monday’s riots were released today, leaving only 19 to face trial.
GENERAL ZIONISTS WILL CONTINUE TO OPPOSE TALKS WITH GERMANY
At a General Zionist mass meeting here, Mayor Israel Rokach. General Zionist deputy, said that his party would continue to agitate against direct negotiations with Germany and will attempt to persuade the public not to agree with the government’s intended move, despite the vote in Parliament. He also denounced the Monday riots.
A statement published today by the Herut Party said that no attack was intended on the Knesset last week when its members demonstrated against proposed Israel-German negotiations on reparations. The announcement said the flare-up was the result of police attacks on the demonstrators. (In New York a group of Revisionist youths demonstrated before the Israeli Consulate General here to protest against negotiations with Germany.)
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