Chancellor Helmut Kohl has cancelled his scheduled trip to Israel, which was to have begun today, in the aftermath of Premier Menachem Begin’s resignation from office. A government spokesman said Kohl hopes to go to Israel later this year, but that it was unlikely he would visit Israel before his scheduled tour of Arab countries starting early October.
The government spokesman, Peter Boenisch, told a press conference yesterday that the main purpose of Kohl’s visit was to pursue friendship and reconciliation between the two countries. The major obstacle threatening West German-Israeli relations is the possible sale of advanced Leopard tanks to Saudi Arabia, a move which Israel said would threaten its national security.
A visit at this time by Kohl, when Israel is politically tense over Begin’s resignation, would not be conducive to relaxed talks about friendship and reconciliation, Boenisch said.
Meanwhile, before Kohl announced his decision to cancel his visit to Israel, the Arab ambassadors in Bonn published a statement warming the Chancellor not to extend additional financial aid to Israel during his talks in Jerusalem. The envoys said that such aid, if given, would contribute to Israel’s policy of “aggression and terrorism.”
However, no one in any official capacity in Bonn knew of any plans to increase financial aid to Israel, which now stand at 140 million Marks annually in long-term loans. West German diplomats expressed dismay at the warning by the Arabs.
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