Premier Yitzhak Rabin said at today’s Cabinet meeting that the French government’s position in the Abu Daoud affair is damaging to the prospects of fighting international terrorism. He vowed that Israel would act by all possible means to bring terrorist killers to trial and punishment. “The government is obligated to act in every legal way to seize murderers who stay in friendly countries,” he said.
“The purpose is.” Rabin explained, “to prevent options for sabotage in Israel and against Jewish targets both in Israel and abroad.” He stressed, however, that Israel’s quarrel is with the French government, not the French people “who understand the need to fight against international terror.”
Foreign Minister Yigal Allon told the Cabinet that Israel is still waiting for further “clarification” from France on its release of Abu Daoud. He said certain “legal clarifications” were already received from Paris but are not satisfactory. When Israel receives the additional clarifications it will decide its next step. Allon said. Today’s Cabinet session was attended by Israel’s Ambassador to France, Mordechai Gazit, who was called home for consultations last week. He said that in general, Israel enjoys “great admiration” in French public opinion.
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