Rep. Richard L. Ottinger, New York Democrat, said today that the Post Office Department had acceded to his demand that arrangements be made for airmail shipments from the United States to Israel. Rep. Ottinger, a candidate for the Democratic nomination to the Senate, had protested to Postmaster General William Blount last March 30 concerning the refusal of Trans World Airlines to transmit air parcel post to Israel though such shipments were held in isolation for 48 hours to guard against hidden bombs. The Congressman made public a letter from W.J. Cotter, the Post Office chief inspector, informing him that “civil airmail articles of five ounces for Israel are now being accepted by Air France at New York for transport, after being held 24 hours.” The Post Office official also wrote that “all other air mail for Israel, including APO, FPO and diplomatic mail is accepted by TWA without delay.” Rep. Ottinger said he was “extremely gratified that a means has been found to protect the safety of airline passengers without shutting off air mail shipments to Israel.” He added that “we simply could not permit Arab blackmail to accomplish what Arab military aggression has not.”
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