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Israeli Groups to Demonstrate Against Visit of German Ex-minister

May 23, 1963
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Organizations of European wartime partisans and ghetto fighters decided last night to stage demonstrations in protest against the forthcoming visit to Israel of Franz Josef Strauss, former West German Defense Minister. He is scheduled to arrive next Sunday.

The organisations of former Nazi victims decided to hold the demonstrations in Tel Aviv in expectation that the precise time and date of the West German’s arrival will be kept secret to forestall demonstrations at the airport.

The leftist Mapam also decided to stage a protest demonstration and a mass meeting at the Tel Aviv seashore on Saturday night with representatives of the partisan veterans as the principal speakers. The rightwing Herut proceeded with plans to concentrate what it said would be 5, 000 people for demonstrations at Lydda Airport or at airport approach reads.

Police meanwhile proceeded with preparations for the West German leader is arrival. A strong police cordon will cut off the main building at the airport to prevent demonstrators from approaching. (In Munich, the office of the Christian Social Union, of which Mr. Strauss is chairman, said that the former German Defense Minister was adhering to his decision to start his Israel study tour on May 26 as originally scheduled.)

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