A delegation of Knesset members visiting West Germany met with members of the Bundestag (Lower House) representing the three major political parties today. It was understood that their discussions were mainly about the statute of limitations on war crimes prosecutions and demands that it be abolished before it goes into effect at the end of this year. A member of the Israeli delegation, Joseph Tamir of the Gahal faction, will meet Walter Scheel, leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party, which is opposed to abolishing the statute. Mr. Tamir said he will make it clear that he intends to bring the matter before the International Union of Liberal Parties unless the German liberals change their attitude.
David Hachohen, chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, who heads the Israeli group, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that he was favorably impressed by his talks with German political leaders. He said they paid much attention to Israel’s problems. The Israeli visitors were guests at a dinner given by Israel’s Ambassador Asher Ben Nathan which was attended by the newly elected President of the Federal Republic, Dr. Gustav Heinemann, and Interior Minister Ernst Benda. The Israelis were scheduled to meet today with Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger and Foreign Minister Willy Brandt.
The Government today submitted a complaint to the Constitutional High Court in Karlsruhe against Dr. Gerhard Frey, editor of the pro-Nazi, anti-Semitic newspaper Deutsche National Und Soldaten Zeitung. The newspaper has been under constant and severe criticism for articles which have been termed libels both of Jews and Israel.
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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.