A visiting member of the West German Parliament said here today that the Palestine Liberation Organization enjoys rising prestige in Europe and if the PLO leaders were to declare themselves ready to recognize Israel, it would generate immense pressure on Israel to negotiate with that group.
That view was expressed by Eric Blumenfeld, chairman of the Federation of German-Israel Friendship Societies (FGIFS) who heads a 10-member delegation to the third conference of the FGIFS which opens in Jerusalem tomorrow. Blumenfeld is an opposition member of the Bundesrat, West Germany’s upper house, and a member of the Parliament of Europe.
He said that even Israel’s most loyal friends in Western Europe do not understand Israel’s settlement policies in the occupied territories. That will be one of the main topics to be discussed at the convention. MK Yosef Tamir, chairman of the Israeli section of the FGIFS, urged that West Germany should cooperate fully with Israel in combatting international terrorism which menaces not only Israel but Europe as well.
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