Relations between Israel and two South American countries reached a new high this week. The government of Argentina will not recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization and Peru has promised to pursue an “independent and balanced policy toward Israel.” These developments were announced by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism on the basis of reports it received from Industry Minister Gideon Part who is visiting Argentina and Peru.
According to Patt, the Foreign Minister of Argentina promised that his government will support only those Arab leaders who are ready to negotiate with Israel the future of Judaea, Samaria and Gaza. On the economic front, Patt reported that Israel’s exports to Argentina, which have doubled within the last two years, are expected to double once again in the near future.
Patt said he expressed to Argentina’s Foreign Minister Israel’s satisfaction over the economic relations between the two countries, but expressed surprise over recent votes by Argentina in the United Nations against Israel. Among the anti-Israel resolutions which Argentina, as well as Peru voted for, was the one on July 29 which demanded that Israel withdraw from all the occupied territories, including Jerusalem.
In Peru, Patt said that President Fernando Belaunde told him his government would follow an “independent and balanced policy toward Israel” despite its other commitments in the Middle East. Patt, who represented Israel at Belaunde’s inauguration, also agreed in principle to the establishment of a committee to increase trade between Israel and Peru.
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.
