Arming of Any Part of Germany is a Threat to Israel, Ben Gurion Tells Parliament

The arming of either East or West Germany is a grave threat to Israel, Premier David Ben Gurion declared here last night during a debate in Parliament. He insisted that the “Germans of both the East and the West shed Jewish blood and it would be a shame to protest the arming of only one part of Germany,” the Premier insisted.

He spoke during a discussion which arose when the left-wing Socialist Mapam and Communist Parties introduced a resolution condemning the recent Brussels Conference decision to rearm Western Germany. This move was followed by the introduction of a resolution by Rabbi Mordecai Nurok, of the Religious Bloc, protesting the arming of both parts of Germany. The entire matter was eventually referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee for further study.

Israel Premier David Ben Gurion, accompanied by members of his staff and Army officers, today visited semi-permanent immigrant work camps in the “corridor area” between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. He inspected the Army program for helping the immigrants and conversed with soldiers and recent immigrants in the work villages.