Sen. Edward Kennedy Meets with Eshkol; Approves U.N. Censure of Israel

Sen. Edward Kennedy, who arrived in Israel last night for a three day visit, told the press here today that he associated himself with the Security Council November 25 condemnation of Israel for its action against Jordan on November 13.

The Massachusetts Democrat came to Israel from a visit to Jordan, during which he visited the Samua area which was the target of the Israeli retaliation raid and the Arab refugee camps. He also told the newsmen that he had always opposed the use of United Nations Relief and Works Agency funds for refugees receiving training from the “Palestine Liberation Organization,” and that he continued to do so “after visiting the camps.”

The Senator met with the press after an hour meeting with Premier Levi Eshkol in the Premier’s office. The Senator called the meeting “frank and useful.” Later, he planted a tree in the forest on the outskirts of Jerusalem named after his brother, the late President John F. Kennedy. Then he paid a visit to the Hadassah Hospital Reception Center, also named for the late President. The Senator then had lunch with Foreign Minister Abba Eban and later left for Rehovot where he visited the Weizmann Institute.

Reporting on his visit to Jordan, where he spent a day in consultation with King Hussein and in visits to the refugee camps, he said here that he had found “great human misery in the camps.” He deplored the United States decision to cut its contributions to the UNRWA budget and said he would raise that issue on his return to the United States with the goal of achieving restoration of the UNRWA budget.