West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt cabled a message of congratulations to Premier Menachem Begin on his reappointment as Premier. Schmidt stressed the importance of amicable relations between the two countries and of the need to continue the peace process in the Middle East. During the period prior to the elections, Begin expressed public criticism of Schmidt and rebuked him for his support of the Arabs and for his role during World War II as a Wehrmacht officer. Begin insinuated, as an officer Schmidt did the work of the Nazis.
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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.