No agreement on the vital issue of India’s relationship to Israel was reached between Prime Minister Nehru and Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser, president of the United Arab Republic, now on an official visit to India, it was authoritatively stated here today.
India has no diplomatic relations with Israel, although officially it recognizes Israel, Mr. Nehru is reported to have indicated that he does not want to displease the Arab states by altering his present stand on Israel. However, he feels that he cannot ignore Israel’s existence and the fact that Israel is “here to stay.” This view, displeasing to Nasser, is said to be based on India’s relations to Pakistan–a state which has been carved out of the old India on a religious basis, but one which, nevertheless. India recognizes, is also “here to stay.”
Col. Nasser, at a press conference here today, stated that “trouble between Israel and the United Arab Republic is chronic. I would not be surprised if Israel again tried to involve the UAR or raise a flare-up.” He charged “Israel is trying to expand into the demilitarized zone which was agreed upon in United Nations resolutions.”
United Arab Republic Foreign Minister Mahmoud Fawzi told a correspondent of the Hindustan Times here that “there is no likelihood of the UAR changing its attitude toward 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.
