Israel President Mourns Death of U.S. Ambassador Davis

Israel President Itzhak Ben Zvi today cabled a message of condolence to President Eisenhower inconnection with the death here yesterday of the U.S. Ambassador Monnet Davis who died of a heart ailment. Mr. Davis, who was 60 years old, returned to Israel five weeks ago from sick leave in the United States.

During his service in Israel, since 1951, Ambassador Davis used his influence in an effort to aid the Jewish State. He played a leading role in negotiations which led to the granting of $65,000,000 by the United States to Israel. He was also active in arranging Point Four aid for American technical assistance in Israel’s economic development.

Acting Premier Moshe Sharett issued a statement emphasizing that in the death of Ambassador Davis, Israel has lost a “deeply understanding” friend. “His personality was a remarkable blend of keen mind and sensitive conscience, of firmness of character with gentleness of soul,” Mr. Sharett pointed out. “To all who knew him, and in particular to those familiar with his habits of work, he was always an example of a high sense of duty, an extraordinary capacity for sustained effort and deep human feeling. His memory will be cherished in his own country and in ours, where he leaves so many friends to mourn his untimely passing.”

(In Washington, Secretary of State Dulles said that in the death of Ambassador Davis the United States and its Foreign Service had suffered a “great loss. ” Israel’s Ambassador Abba Eban emphasized in a statement that the cause of friendship between Israel and the United States” has lost a warm and devoted protagonist. “)