The Israel Government has sent a message to King Saud of Saudi Arabia, through a third government friendly to both the Jewish and the Arab state, it was announced here today.
The Israeli message informed the King that Israel had the deepest respect for the safety of Moslems making the pilgrimage to Mecca, and expressed the hope that Israeli Arabs would be permitted to participate in the pilgrimages. In the past Israel’s Arab citizens have been barred by different Arab states from crossing through their territory en route to the Moslem Holy City.
The Israeli note, like a radio broadcast last week by Foreign Minister Golda Meir, was occasioned by public statements by the Saudi Arabian Government that it feared for the safety of Moslems pilgrims because of Israel’s use of the Gulf of Akaba.
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