Israel Weighs Bid to Western Powers to Mediate Dispute with Argentina

Informed sources here said today Israel officials were considering the possibility of asking mediation by the Western Powers in the continuing diplomatic deadlock with Argentine in the Adolf Eichmann case.

That possibility was coming under consideration, it was indicated, because of the apparent Argentine refusal to accept Israel’s apology for the seizure of the Nazi murder specialist on Argentine soil and the insistence of the South American country on an offer by Israel of “adequate reparations.” Argentine has not stated publicly what action it would consider as meeting that request.

The sources reported that the idea of asking Western mediation was one of two contemplated lines of possible further diplomatic action, both aimed at reaching an amicable solution of the impasse. If Argentina accepted Israel’s latest note, re-stating Israel’s earlier position that it considered its apology to Argentina as constituting such reparations, Israel planned an additional conciliatory gesture–possibly despatching Mrs. Golda Meir, the Foreign Minister, on a goodwill mission to Buenos Aires.

The possible appeal for Western mediation, should Argentina remain obdurate, derived from the fact that Western delegates at the Security Council meeting which held Argentina’s complaint against Israel in the Eichmann seizure, indicated clearly that their Governments regarded Israel’s public apologies as “adequate reparation” to Argentina, The proposal called for a request by Israel to those Governments to mediate the deadlock in that spirit.

Israel meanwhile has expressed thanks to the Soviet Union and Polish delegations for their statements at the Security Council supporting Israel’s position on punishment of escaped Nazis. The Soviet Union and Poland abstained from the vote on the amended Argentinean resolution for fear that support of the resolution might be interpreted as support for the idea that Israel should return Eichmann to Argentina.