Israel Galilee, Israel’s Minister of Information, warned here yesterday that the nation will have to tighten its belt if it is to stand fast on the present cease-fire borders until a peace settlement is achieved. Mr. Galilee was the second Cabinet Minister to issue such a warning in recent days. But he was taken to task for it today by the newspaper, Maariv, which accused him of hurting the country’s morale.
Mr. Galilee, speaking at Beth Sokolow, said a continuation of the present situation might force Israelis to lower their living standards and accept cuts in salaries. He said that Russia is giving Egypt massive military aid and “our friends could pressure us by supplying us with essential goods thus forcing us to heed their advice through our dependence on them.” Maariv argued today that “Israel, which has stood up against heavier pressures and situations, will be able to face any hardships that it may encounter in the wake of its struggle for peace and sovereignty.”
Last week Defense Minister Moshe Dayan said that Israel could manage the triple burdens of a new war with the Arabs, the control of terrorist activities and the administration of the occupied territories for years if necessary. But, he warned, in those circumstances the nation would have to sacrifice its expanding economy and reduce its living standards.
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