A delegation of Israel’s Knesset discussed with Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger and Foreign Minister Willy Brandt the issue of the statute of limitations on prosecution of Nazi murderers and support for Israel’s bid for associate status in the European Common Market. The meeting with Chancellor Kiesinger, which had been scheduled for 30 minutes. lasted for 90 minutes as the Knesset members spelled out Israel’s position on the Mideast conflict. The delegation has raised with many West German leaders the hope that action would be taken to extend the effective date of the statute of limitations which otherwise will become effective at the end of this year, barring such prosecutions. Herr Brandt assured the delegation that West Germany would continue to support Israel’s Common Market bid. David Hacohen, leader of the delegation, later praised Chancellor Kiesinger, calling him “a fine gentleman with a very friendly attitude who made a very positive impression.”
Joseph Tamir of the Gahal (Liberal-Herut Alignment) told JTA that he and Mr. Hacohen had sent a cable to Knesset Speaker Kaddish Luz asking him to persuade Ministers Joseph Saphir and Moshe Kol, members of the World Liberal Union, to ask the Union to take a stand favoring abolition of any statute of limitations on genocide and to try to influence West German liberals to act accordingly. Some sources said that if the request were implemented, it could have a decisive effect on the issue in West Germany. The delegation, the first one of Israeli legislators to visit the Federal Republic, visited with Mayor Klaus Schuetz of West Berlin on Sunday.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
