After an absence of 52 days during which he toured three countries in South America, then visited the United States, where he was honored by President Johnson, Israel’s President Zalman Shazar returned home last night. A 21-gun salute greeted him as his plane touched down at Lydda Airport, where he was welcomed home by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, Acting President Kadish Luz, who is Speaker of Israel’s Parliament, and a full turn-out of the foreign diplomatic corps.
In an airport statement, Mr. Shazar noted particularly his gratification over the reception he got in Washington at the hands of President Johnson. Among those who greeted him at the airport were Hasidim who danced and sang. As the presidential entourage reached the western outskirts of Jerusalem, about 1,000 persons cheered Mr. Shazar. Electric lights decorated Mount Zion and a flag-bedecked platform had been set up for the red carpet reception to the returning President.
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