The Israeli Government has granted import licenses for goods valued at $32,000,000 since the state was first established May 15, it was officially announced here today. Twenty million dollars was spent for goods from countries in the sterling bloc, while $12,000,000 was spent in the U.S. and other countries.
Israel has obtained the release of some $9,200,000 of Palestine funds frozen by Britain. The funds will be used for purchases in Britain and elsewhere in the sterling area.
Tel Aviv Mayor Israel Rokach, however, revealed today that Britain has refused to honor one of its own government checks. The check, for $60,000, was given the municipality of Tel Aviv in April of this year, but all attempts to cash it at Cyprus, which is under British administration, have failed.
Dr. Herbert Foerder, Israeli Food Controller, returning here from Britain where he served as head of a purchasing mission, reported that Israel has established important economic contacts abroad and has succeeded in obtaining quotas and international allocations of materials in short supply. Dr. Foerder also said that the government has opened a large dollar account in the U.S. to facilitate purchases of essential materials and has obtained substantial credit from leading world suppliers.
M.Somer, director of the Czechoslovak National Bank, is visiting Israel to negotiate a barter deal between the two nations. He is also arranging for the payment by Israel of debts due Czechoslovak firms for materials exported to Israel.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
