Former Premier David Ben-Gurion confirmed here this weekend that, in 1960, he and the then West German Chancellor Dr. Konrad Adenaues, entered an agreement at a meeting in New York for West German military aid to Israel. Until now, that pact had been the object of merely unofficial reports.
Addressing a meeting of the Foreign Press Association here, Mr. Ben-Gurion not only confirmed that unofficial report but also insisted that “it still stands.” He pleaded for greater understanding of the present West German Government under Chan cellor Ludwig Erhard, saying Mr. Erhard “is not a Nazi, and the present generation (of Germany) is not Nazi.” He told the correspondents also that, if the Arabs carry out their present intention to divert the headwaters of the Jordan River, “there should be a reaction on the part of Israel,” and affirmed he was “convinced” the United States would help safeguard Israel’s security.
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.
