Warhaftig Says Israel Must Retain Jerusalem Even if Occupied Territory is Returned

Israel’s Minister for Religious Affairs said here today that realities may force Israel to give up part of the territories occupied in last June’s Arab-Israel war but there can be no question of Israel’s right to retain all of Jerusalem which has been a Jewish city for most of its history. Dr. Zerach Wahrhaftig spoke at the world conference of Mizrachi-Hapoel Hamizrachi, the Orthodox parties. He said Israel should, however, try to hold as much of the “liberated territory” as possible. He pointed out that Jerusalem has been under non-Jewish rule for comparatively short periods historically and was never the capital of any nation but Israel.