President Zalman Shazar returned to Montreal today to participate in Israel’s pavilion at Expo ’67 from Ottawa where he was the guest of honor at a luncheon given by Prime Minister Lester Pearson. Mr. Pearson reiterated at the luncheon an earlier statement that Israel had a full right to live in security and that all men of goodwill should help the Jewish State.
In response, Israel’s President told the luncheon guests, who included most political leaders, including opposition leader John Diefenbaker, that “once more the Middle East is in crisis and the security and territorial integrity of my country are gravely threatened.” He said also that the Middle East as a whole and Israel in particular were once more in urgent need of the “sagacity and statesmanship” of Mr. Pearson.
Prior to the luncheon, Mr. Shazar attended a rally for Israel at the Jewish Community Center in Ottawa where more than 1,000 persons demonstrated their support for Israel. He told the rally that Israel expected from the townspeople “your sympathy, aid, devotion and young people, on which we rely, in good times and bad.” The President was the guest of honor last night at a reception and official dinner given by the Mayor of Montreal, Jean Drapeau, attended by Montreal civic leaders, clergymen and rabbis.
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