Shertok Cables Israel’s Thanks for Recognition to Canadian Government

Moshe Shertok, Israeli Foreign Minister, today cabled the Canadian Government his government’s “deep appreciation” for the de facto recognition granted by the Dominion Friday. Shertok’s message declared that Israel is anxious for a rapid restoration of peace and a final settlement of all outstanding questions either directly or through the U.N. Conciliation Commission, and regards Canada’s recognition as an important contribution to this end.

At a press conference here today, conducted during an air raid alert, Israel’s U.N. representative, Aubrey S. Eban, expressed the hope that the other British dominions would follow Canada’s example. He praised the support of South American countries of Israel’s cause at the last U.N. session and added that if France recognized Israel it would be a stabilizing factor in the Moslem world. Michael Comay, member of the Israeli U.N. delegation, told the conference that Britain called on the dominions to support its resolution at the U.N. session, but they refused.

Eban revealed that before the Israeli delegation left Paris at the end of the session, John Foster Dulles, acting head of the American delegation, told the Israelis that the U.S. believes that the existence of an independent, free and strong Israel is indispensable for the Middle East.

From Kyrenia it was reported that 12,000 Jewish detainees cabled Christmas greetings to former Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Stating that they are being held arbitrarily under “intolerable conditions without any legal basis,” the detainees asked Churchill to continue his battles against fascism and to “remove from Britain the Nazi stain which the present government’s Cyprus concentration camp have placed on it.”