A visiting Israel Labor Party delegation concluded yesterday what it described as “satisfactory” talks with leaders of West Germany’s ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD), including Chancellor Willy Brandt.
The Israeli group, headed by Labor Party Secretary General Aharon Yadlin, is visiting Wiesbaden and Munich today for talks with party leaders of Hesse and Bavaria. They will return to Israel Wednesday.
The outcome of the talks was an agreement by the Israeli Laborites and the SPD to hold annual political consultations, to establish a direct link between their respective party headquarters and to form close contacts between Labor Party and SPD European Economic Community experts. It was also decided to send an SPD women’s delegation to Israel next Dec.
MEETING WITH BRANDT
The Israeli visitors were received by Chancellor Brandt in West Berlin yesterday. He told them that West Germany wanted to help Israel but that Israel should not overestimate its ability to do sp.
Brandt, who visited Israel recently, said his country wanted to maintain closer ties with Jerusalem. He said that events were moving in a favorable direction for Israel with relation to the European Common Market. He also said that West German investments in Israel with government backing were under consideration.
The Israelis and SPD leaders clashed yesterday with members of the Union of Young Socialists (JUSO), a dissident youth group within the SPD which regards the present Israeli regime as imperialistic and expansionist.
Carsten Voigt, deputy chairman of JUSO, reaffirmed its pro-Arab resolution at the Godesberg conference and alleged that Israel’s policies were close to Fascism.”
Michael Chasish, a Labor Party foreign affairs expert, accused Voigt of paying lip service to Israel’s right to exist. He noted that JUSO has consistently refused invitations to visit Israel.
The JUSO resolution was condemned by Herberg Wehner, deputy chairman of the SPD and Holger Boernes, secretary general.
In a statement here yesterday, Yadlin said Israel was satisfied with Chancellor Brandt’s visit but thought that no country could pursue a “balanced policy” in the Middle East such as was envisioned by Brandt. He also criticized West Germany for declaring in advance of its admission to the United Nations that it would abstain from voting on Middle East issues. Yadlin said Israel did not want West Germany to undertake a role of mediator in the Mideast but to act as a “force for peace.”
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