Airline circles here today discounted purported British threats to cancel Israel’s airport landing rights if El Al Israel Airlines refuses to fly Dr. Robert A. Soblen to the United States. Such a suggestion, it was said, is not to be taken seriously, Israel has already given assurance to the British that it is willing to fly Dr. Soblen out of England–but not to the United States.
Yesterday’s Cabinet meeting here discussed various ramifications of the case of the American psychiatrist, who sought asylum here to escape a life sentence in the United States, where he had been convicted of espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union. In the event that Dr. Soblen is returned here, the Cabinet decided, Israel will have no alternative but to permit him to find an asylum of his own choice. Such a choice is believed to exist, since Czechoslovakia has reportedly offered asylum to Dr. Soblen.
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