Rabin Tells London Youth He is Not Sure That Six-day War Was the Last

Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Rabin, chief of staff of Israel’s armed forces, acknowledged here tonight that he “could not say with certainty” that last June’s Six-Day War was the last. He observed that “you cannot force a people to live in peace with you, especially if a bigger country is exploiting the situation.”

Gen. Rabin addressed a capacity audience of returning volunteers for Israel during the Six-Day War, representatives of Zionist youth and student organizations and others at the Youth Center here. He disclosed that an Israeli pilot was murdered after bailing out over Jordan when his plane was shot down last week, but said that it was not always in Israel’s interest to publicize Arab atrocities. He also denied flatly that Russian prisoners had been captured during the June war, despite photographs that purported to be of captured Russians, He said that many Soviet advisors and technicians cooperated with the Arabs but there is no evidence that any Russians took an active part in the hostilities.

Commenting on Israel’s policies toward the occupied West Bank, Gen. Rabin said “we are forced to be there; and, without peace, there can be no question of withdrawal.” He indicated that Israeli occupying forces, though of considerable strength, do not make themselves highly visible to the local inhabitants.

Referring to general security matters, including a threat by the new South Arabian authorities to seal off the Perim Straits at the mouth of the Red Sea to Israel shipping, the chief of staff said “we must hope for the best and expect the worst.” He thanked all those who had volunteered to aid Israel in her hour of need, whether they actually reached Israel or not.