Ben Gurion Brands Soviet Anti-israel Reports ‘baseless’

David Ben Gurion, Premier of Israel, told his Parliament today that it is “inconceivable” that the Soviet Government could be unaware that there is no foundation for the “hostile and baseless slanders that appear regularly in the Soviet press.”

Even as he spoke, reports reached here of new Radio Moscow broadcasts charging that Israel was making “war-like preparations against Jordan.” These Arabic-language programs beamed to the Middle East have kept up an incessant parrot-like chatter of the “massing of Israeli troops” in readiness for a walk-into Jordan after the British troops pull out.

The Soviet Union, like other countries which keep missions in Israel, has the “fullest facilities” for obtaining accurate information on Israeli developments, the Premier pointed out. He expressed the opinion that the world does not place reliance on “foolish falsehoods no matter who disseminates them.”

Turning to Cairo, which has been broadcasting anti-Israel material in tandem with Moscow, Mr. Ben Gurion said it may be assumed that the Egyptians who indirectly possess information about Israel publish lies and slanders out of “demagogic and political motives.” He added that the “military junta apparently believes that the campaign of falsehood against Israel will further the subversive campaign which it is conducting in all Arab countries in violation of Egypt’s express undertaking at the General Assembly.

“It may be,” the Premier continued, “that it wishes also that its propaganda campaign will compel Israel to announce its plans in the event of the disintegration of Jordan. Apparently, it cannot conceive that a responsible and democratic government like Israel has not acted and will not act in accord with verbal provocations of conscienceless and irresponsible slanders.”