Chancellor Willy Brandt said in an interview published here Sunday that Germans share “part of the responsibility for the advancement and development of Israel” because of “what happened in World War II.” In his interview with the monthly magazine, Tribune, Brandt added that “Germans cannot be neutral in their hearts toward Israel.” He noted that the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Arab states would, therefore, not have a negative influence on Germany’s attitude toward Israel. Brandt, who has accepted an invitation from Premier Golda Meir to visit Israel later this year, said the fact that Germany would have diplomatic relations with both sides in the Mideast dispute would enable it to play a more effective role in the search for peace in that region.
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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.
