Israeli Premier's Attack On Britain

Chronicle (Levin), 16 March 1949, Page 5

Israeli Premier's Attack On Britain

Eeceived Tuesday, 8.30 p.m. LONDON, March 15. "Peace with the Arab nations is going to be verv difficult to secure it the British Foreign Oilice maintains its hostile attitude," said Mr. Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister, interviewed by a Daily Mail reporter at Tel Aviv. Be continued: "We want peace and security. We must liave them because we liave a great deal of work to do. We have five more armistices to negotiate and then six peace treaties. It will not be easv anvway. But our success will largcly depend on whether. the Foreign Oilice 's hostile attitude ha" clianged. "Notice that I say 'Foreign Oflice, ' not Britain. I don't necessarilv want to identify all Britain with the disa5trouslv mistaken policy of the past ten years." But we hope it is changing now — we hope the de facto recognition of Israel b_v Britain is the first sign'of a change." Mr. Ben-Gurion commented that everv act of Britafn in Israel sinee 1037 appears to have been directed against the Jews. Britain 's mandate was inefiicient and oppressive. She deliberately violated the mandate in order to discriminate against the Jews. Jews died because of British policy. The Arabs, it would appear, attaelced the Jews largcly because of British encouragement and active help. Jerusalem was bombarded for the first time m modern history by artillerv trained and commanded by British ofiicers (Glubb Pasha and the Arab Legion). "But we are prepared to forgive and iorget, ' said Mr. Ben-Gurion. "We want peace and friendship with all the world, including Britain." Asked about Arab refugees, the Premier replied: "That is part of the peace settlement,." He would not say that Israel would accept them back. He would say only that Israel would discuss it in the peace talks. Mr. Ben-Gurion reaeted sharply to the argtiment that if it were right for the Jews to return to Palestine it was just as right for Ihe Arabs to return. "It is not at all the same," he said ' This is a settlement of war. Jewish immigration was based on quite different circumstances. " "lf you talk to any ordinary Jew about it he will ask that the Arabs certainlv will not come back," said the reporter. "Their economie life is so disrupted in Israel that it is just hsj easy to settle them elsewherc. And Israel is needed for the Jews. That at any rate is the public opinion of the countrv of wluch Mr. Ben-Gurion is Premier.