Israel Pleads for More International Aid to Underdeveloped Countries

Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and David Horowitz, Governor of the Bank of Israel and author of a project being studied officially now by the United Nations to aid underdeveloped countries, called upon the world’s affluent nations last night to aid the “have-nots” in the spirit of a rich individual helping his poorer neighbor. They were the principal speakers at the third “Rehovoth Conference” being held at the Hebrew University for discussion of fiscal problems facing the developing countries of the world.

Forty-four countries are represented at the conference. The parley is the third of a series started several years ago at the Weizmann Institute of Science at Rehovoth, but is being held here this time with the co-sponsorship of the Hebrew University and the Bank of Israel. The representatives include 24 Cabinet ministers from 38 developing countries. Deputy Prime Minister Abba Eban, who originated the conference at Rehovoth as president of the Weizmann Institute, is chairman of the world meeting, which is approved, among others, by the United Nations.

Mr. Horowitz spelled out the type of international aid by the wealthy nations for which Mr. Eshkol called. His “Horowitz Plan,” proposed a year ago before the United Nations Economic and Social Council, has since been under study of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Under the “Horowitz Plan,” which the Bank of Israel chief reiterated here, the wealthier nations of the world would set aside between 1 percent and 2 percent of their gross national product, each year, to provide capital for the underdeveloped states. He noted that the gross transfer of capital to the underdeveloped nations, which had been expected to increase, has, instead, declined. Under his plan, he explained, the developing states would be certain of getting sufficient capital to trigger large-scale, domestic projects for the improvement of education and general standards of life.

Israel’s initiative for aid to the developing countries was hailed in addresses at last night’s session by Antoine Meatchi, vice-president of Togo, speaking on behalf of the 14 African countries that are members of the French Union; Finance Minister R. G. Kind, of Sierra Leone, who spoke on behalf of the English-speaking countries in Africa; and Oudong Souvanna, Governor of the Laotian National Bank, as representative of the underdeveloped nations of Asia. Dr. Eliahu Elath, president of the Hebrew University, and Prof. S. Lifson, of the Weizmann Institute, officially welcomed the delegates.