French Ambassador Armand Berard has been erroneously quoted as saying “Jewish gold” had contributed to the defeat of former French President Charles de Gaulle, a well-informed source said here today. But the envoy did use the phrase “pro Israel circles” in the context of a discussion with several correspondents about M. de Gaulle’s resignation on April 28, the day after his reform referendum was defeated, the source said.
M. Berard, in discussing Gen. de Gaulle’s departure with correspondents in the main delegates lounge, said that “pro-Israel circles” had spent heavily in the hopes of defeating the referendum upon which the former President had staked his office, the source said. French Foreign Minister Michel Debre labeled as “lying” reports that M. Berard had said “Jewish gold.” The denial was made to Pierre Bloch, president of the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism. It followed publication of a Reuters UN dispatch attributing to an un-named French diplomat the words “pro-Israel circles” and “large sums.” Despite the Debre denial, Reuters stuck by its story. The diplomat was later identified as M. Berard.
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