Israeli officials in Washington today described “as absurd” newspaper reports that Prime Minister Levi Eshkol had attempted to influence American Jewish leaders, or that he did so, on Vietnam at the request of President Johnson.
The Israeli officials stated that “it is inconceivable that the Israel Government would handle matters of vital importance to the security of its people on such a basis. The Prime Minister would clearly limit himself to an exposition of Israel’s own problems and policies in any audience he would address.”
The Israeli officials stated that “the Israeli position has always been one of resistance to aggression wherever it occurs and insisting on the right of every country to lead its own life free of subversion and threats. This has been stated by official Israeli spokesmen in recent years at the United Nations and elsewhere. Similarly, Israel has invariably advocated that all situations of conflict be resolved by direct negotiations.”
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.
