President Truman today Issued a proclamation granting Israeli ships exemption from discriminating tonnage duties and extending the same privileges enjoyed by vessels of all other friendly nations.
The question arose when a discriminating tonnage tax was charged an Israeli ship which visited New York recently. The tax was assessed because of the absence of a treaty of friendship, commerce and navigation between the U.S. and Israel. An old treaty with the Palestine Mandate is no longer considered valid by the State Department because Israel is now fully recognized by the United States.
President Truman’s proclamation was issued as a substitute for the treaty, the State Department said. The proclamation, which will facilitate trade between the two countries, states that since satisfactory proof has been submitted by Israel that no discriminatory levies are imposed by Israel on American ships, and goods carried thereon, the U.S. is granting reciprocal treatment to Israeli vessels and goods they bring to this country.
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