Israel’s President Zalman Shazar arrived here this afternoon from Uruguay for an eight-day state visit.
The newspaper La Tarde reported that federal and city police authorities had rounded up suspected opponents of the honors scheduled for the reception of the Israeli President, requesting them to leave the city for the period Mr. Shazar is to spend here. La Tarde hinted that Arabs living here might be involved in plans against the Israeli President, The mass circulation daily, Clarin, also reported that police “are on the alert against Nazi commandoes.”
Anonymously-sponsored pamphlets vilifying the Israeli President made their appearance in the streets of this city yesterday. Police authorities confiscated many of the pamphlets and initiated an investigation as to the authorship of the material and the source of its distribution center.
The international airport here, lavishly decorated with the flags of Israel and Chile, was out under extra guard of both police and military units as the plane carrying Mr. Shazar, his wife, Mrs. Rachel Shazar, and an official party of five other Israelis touched down after an uneventful trip from Montevideo, As Mr. and Mrs. Shazar stepped off the plane on to a red carpet flanked by a guard of honor, a military band played the national anthems of Israel and Chile, The visitors were greeted by Chile’s President Eduardo Frei.
After the Chilean President welcomed the visitors in warmest tones, and professed this country’s friendship toward Israel, Mr. Shazar told Mr. Frei that Israel “admires the well-known and proverbial democracy of Chile,” Still heavily guarded, the motorcade carrying the Israeli President and his party, drove to City Hall here, accompanied by the Chilean President. On the steps of the City Hall, President Shazar was greeted by the Mayor, who presented Mr. Shazar with a key to the city.
At a state dinner tendered in his honor, President Shazar predicted “tighter relations” than ever between Israel and Chile. He stressed that both the Israeli and the Chilean cultures combined old civilizations with new –Israel consolidating the modern era with the ancient Jewish culture, while Chile has integrated the new with the old Spanish culture.
El Mercurio, the most important daily in this country, also printed a Page One editorial, declaring “Israel has the rank of first importance in the modern world. The friendship binding our country with Israel gives the presence of these distinguished visitors a significance of undeniable value.” Other newspapers in Chile welcomed President Shazar in the same vein.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
