President Truman denied at his news conference this afternoon that there was any truth to British press reports that the U.S. had approved the use of R.A.F. planes for reconnaissance flights over Egyptian-Israeli ?rder areas.
Asked whether there had been any change in U.S. policy toward Israel, the President stated that this country’s policy stood on the November 20th statement by Philip fessup, U.S. delegate, before the United Nations. (At that time Jessup said that any changes is Israeli territory must first be agreed to by Israel.) Replying to a question as to whether U.S.-British relations have become strained recently, the President replied that they have not.
He said he knew nothing about reports that he would appoint Rabbi Samuel Thurman of St. Louis as the first U.S. Minister to Israel.
Earlier, British Ambassador Sir Oliver Franks called on President Truman and informed him of the official British view on the present British-Israeli crisis. After the meeting, Sir Oliver declined to reveal whether Mr. Truman outlined the American position on the matter. He also declined to comment on a report that he had been instructed by London to “get tough” with the U.S. Government on the Palestine question.
(In London, a Foreign Office spokesman said that the object of Frank’s interview with Truman was to make plain the British Government’s attitude on Palestine, “elicit the American attitude” and try to achieve some accord on a final settlement for Palestine.)
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