Knesset Votes to Take Steps to Alert World Opinion About West German Crimes Statute

The Knesset (Parliament) today adopted a proposal to take steps to alert world opinion to the danger that Nazi war criminals in West Germany may go free after the statute of limitations on war crimes prosecutions goes into effect at the end of 1969. The proposal was submitted by Mrs. Emma Talmi of Mapam and, at the suggestion of Foreign Minister Abba Eban, was referred to the Knesset’s foreign affairs and security committee. Mr. Eban said that continuous conversations are taking place between Israel and West Germany regarding the statute. He said that opinion within the Christian Democratic Party — the party of West German Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger — was divided on the question. The Federal Minister of Justice, Gustav Heinemann, who visited Israel recently, wants the statute abolished. Mr. Heinemann, a member of the Social Democratic Party, the CDU’s coalition partner, warned that unless the statute was at least postponed, relations between Germany and the Jewish people would be damaged. The matter has also been taken up by Ernst Benda, the West German Minister of Interior, Mr. Eban said, He reported that the Israeli delegation to the United Nations is in contact with other delegations regarding ratification of the UN anti-genocide convention which would obligate member states to take legislative measures that would make genocide a crime to which no statute of limitations could apply. Israel took such action immediately after the draft convention was adopted more than 10 years ago, Mr. Eban said. West Germany, though not a UN member, would probably comply with the anti-genocide treaty, he said.