The smaller nations of the world, like Chile and Israel, “must unite our efforts to enjoy the fruits of our work through exchange of our respective experiences, ” Israel’s President Zalman Shazar told Chilean President Eduardo Frei here.
Mr. Shazar made that statement last night when, at the end of the second full day of his eight-day state visit to this country, he gave a dinner in honor of President Frei, followed by a gala reception. There were 60 guests at the dinner, and thousands of the country’s leading personalities, including leaders of the country’s Jewish community, at the reception. The events were held at Cousino Palace, a large, beautiful, 19th century mansion, which is the Chilean Government’s official guest house.
“From my contact with President Frei, and with other personalities of your country, I know what a bright future awaits the Chilean people, ” President Shazar said. “Israel’s people admire the Chileans because you have built a solid fortress of freedom, justice and democracy on this narrow piece of land–just as Israel has on its narrow, slice of soil. The Israeli people admire President Frei because his life is a noble example of the life of a fighter.
“We admire and are grateful to the Chilean people for their friendship. Chile has always shown its friendship to Israel. Israel will always be on the side of Chile, sharing with it the ideals of brotherhood, freedom and social justice. Both of us will always stand together with those others who, like your people and ours, fight for those causes since the roots of both our nations come from the same source, the Sacred Book that inspires us.” Mr. Thazar concluded with a toast to Chile’s prosperity and to “our growing friendship and cooperation.”
The visit of Israel’s President here continues to evoke the most enthusiastic and laudatory comments from thousands of people in the streets, from all of the country’s highest officials, from Catholic leaders and intellectuals, and from the press, radio and television networks. Even the Communist organ here, Siglo, featured Mr. Shazar’s visit on its front page– alongside the revolution in Argentina.
In isolated instances, there were some outbursts by persons who are either anti-Israel, or anti-Semitic, or anti-democracy –or all of these tendencies. One television broadcast has shown a drunken man in the village of Melipilla, near this city, ripping down an Israeli flag. The man was arrested. A radio station reported that three unidentified men had smashed windows in the Jewish Bank of Chile in Santiago, But there have been no fears of genuine attack against the Israeli President and his party.
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