Premier Menachem Begin said today that he wasn’t losing any sleep over West Germany’s angry reaction to his attack on Chancellor Helmut Schmidt who he accused yesterday of willfully forgetting past German crimes against the Jewish people. Begin lashed out at Schmidt for saying that Germany had a “moral commitment” to the Palestinians driven out of their homes on the West Bank and for his proposed weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. He repeated his attack today.
“Every German should be ashamed of their Chancellor,” Begin said. Asked if his words might backfire, he told reporters, “I wouldn’t lose even a moment’s sleep because of those German remarks.” Begin received wide support among Israelis, including members of opposition parties, although many people suggested that he should have used more diplomatic language. Begin yesterday also denounced President Valery Giscard d’Estaing of France.
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