Israel is part of the Middle East settlement plan proposed to leaders of the British Government over the week-end here by Italy’s Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani. After conferring with Prime Minister Harold Macmillar and Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd, Mr. Fanfani said, in answer to press conference questions: “We discussed the entire Middle East and, as Israel is part of that area, it naturally came under discussion.”
Italy, said the Prime Minister, advocates an economic plan for the Middle East to supplement any political solution evolved. While the Rome statesman refused to elaborate on his plans, he is believed to advocate a “territorial freeze” in the Middle East under United Nations, and not Big Power, guarantee. It is understood that the Italian Premier expressed the belief that the major Middle East danger is East-West rivalry and that “the Israel-Arab quarrel can be left to itself, and will settle itself in time.”
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