The Iranian Consul-General in Jerusalem today called on Dr. Walter Eytan, director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, and it is expected here that recognition of Israel by Iran may be announced soon.
Earlier, Eytan replied to a protest received from the U.N. Conciliation Commission against Israelis decision to transfer several of its government departments from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He denied that the move was in violation of the Dec. 11, 1948, U.N. resolution under whose previsions the Commission is operating. He also criticized the U.N. body for releasing its charges to the press prior to officially notifying the Israeli Government of its views.
Commission members are expected to return here from Beirut on Thursday when they will confer with Premier David Ben Gurion. (Acting U.N. Palestine mediator Ralph J. Bunche is expected to go to Beirut tomorrow before returning to the United States, it was reported from Rhodes.)
It is believed that the chief object of the Commission members’ conference with Ben Gurion is to explore Israel’s attitude towards a proposed general peace parley in some neutral place, presumably Geneva. (Reuters reported from Beirut today that all Arab states with the exception of Iraq notified the Conciliation Commission that they are willing to participate in a proposed "exchange of views" parley with Israel.)
KNESSETH APPROVES TRAN JORDAN PACT; VOTES CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT
The Israeli Khesseth late last night–by a 64-15 vote–defeated a motion of non-confidence in the government. The motion was supported only by the Heruth and Fighters deputies. A subsequent motion introduced by the Map am to cancel the Israeli-Trans Jordan armistice agreement was also defeated by a 68-19 vote.
Premier David Ben Gurion, following a heated debate, replied to opposition criticism by stating that if the Israeli Army wanted to, it could have conquered all of western Palestine. If that had happened, he added, the Jewish state would have had an Arab majority since most Palestine Arabs live in that sector.
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