The Israel Cabinet today discussed the implications of the Soviet Union’s rupture of diplomatic relations, and decided to make a statement in Parliament on the situation, it was officially announced. Inter-party consultations on the statement have been in progress for several days and Premier David Ben Gurion is expected to make it tomorrow.
Meanwhile, four of the dozens of suspects arrested in connection with the bombing of the Soviet legation last Monday night will be charged with committing the crime. A number of persons have been released for lack of evidence and a number are out on bail. Unless further evidence is produced against most of the 20 still in jail; they too will be released. A Communist Party member was detained for interrogation yesterday when he was found near the Soviet legation with encoded documents.
The legation officials have not yet requested exit visas for Russians returning to the USSR and it is expected to take several more days before they are ready. In addition, persons holding Russian diplomatic passports will be asked to leave the country. They are known to include the head of the Tass news service here, M. Kuvalov, the director of a Russian archaeological mission, M. Zaitzev, and Archimandrate Polakir of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was learned that Moscow has not yet agreed to the Israeli request that the Dutch legation in Moscow be permitted to represent Israeli interests in the USSR.
The severing of relations between Russia and the Jewish State is not expected to have a great effect on Israel’s economy because the trade between the two states has never been great. Trade between Israel and a number of the other Communist states of East Europe had been greater at one time but recently dropped away almost to zero.
The Mapam and Communist parties this week-end held meetings in various parts of the country on the diplomatic break between Israel and the USSR. Although the Mapam speakers opposed the Communist Party declarations and tactics, they agreed that Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett’s speech in Parliament last month on the Soviet propaganda drive against Israel was responsible for the Soviet action.
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