President Chaim Weizmann of Israel was quoted in a dispatch from Rehovoth, his residence, to the London Times today as expressing “deep concern” at the recent deterioration of relations between Britain and Israel and appealing to the British people not to pursue a course which would eventually lead ##to war.
The Times report also quoted the Israeli President as denying that “Red planes” were owned by the Israeli Government and asserting that no Soviet citizens were in the Jewish state’s armed forces. “Strict neutrality is the lifeblood of the state’s existence,” he added, the Times said.
A government spokesman, commenting on the Times dispatch, declared that “this country has a record of hospitality to Jewish victims of Nazi terror which compares favorably with any other country. This country is as free as any of prejudice from which the Jewish people have suffered so much. As to the origin of the present situation in Palestine, I would refer to previous statements on this question,” he added.
Replying to questions, the spokesman said: “We are entirely in agreement with Dr. Weizmann’s wish for better relations between this country and Israel.” He reiterated a previous statement that the present tension is due to the attitude of Israel. Asked whether the British Dominions were consulted on the Palestine issue, the spokesman said exchanges “took place” as a matter of routine.
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.
