Political sources asserted here today that last night’s massacre constituted a threat to ail international air transportation which could occur In any country. That evaluation came as Israel’s Cabinet was called to an extraordinary session to hear a report on the attack by three Japanese gunmen and as the Japanese Ambassador to Israel made a formal statement to the Israel Foreign Ministry of his “feelings of shock over the horrifying murderous deed committed by Japanese .nationals.”
The sources stressed that the “slaughter” as the attack was described by Israeli officials had a fundamentally International character. They cited the feet that most of the Injured and slain victims were Puerto Ricans, the murderers were Japanese who were motivated by “leftist ideologies,” and the plane on which they arrived was French.
Transportation Minister Shimon Peres told the Cabinet that the gunmen “apparently came here to commit suicide.” He called the attack “wild, inhuman, inexplicable.” He declined, however, to speculate on any political motives of the killers, He called the attack “an unprecedented, absolutely unknown act In the history of civil aviation. 1 cannot explain It In human terms or in logic,”
Aeiji Tokura, the Japanese envoy, told newsmen that Israel and Japan wore now negotiating on what Japan could do to help in the Investigation of the crime. The Israel government stressed today the “good relations” between Israel and Japan and that Israel did not blame Japan for the airport assault.
Religious Affairs Minister Zerach Warhaftig expressed “shock and pre/found regret” over the “brutal crime.” He noted that the slain victims Included Christian pilgrims who had come to visit Christian holy sites. He said the outrage contained an “Implicit” goal of preventing free access to the holy sites under Israeli administration. He expressed the hope that “this criminal act” would not deter pilgrims and other tourists from further visits to Israel. He said the Israel government would do its utmost to safeguard the welfare of visitors, as it had done “very successfully” since the Six-Day War.
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