Israel and Bonn in Diplomatic Accord;
Limitations Statute Raises New Issues
(Continued from Page 1)
Germany's offer to establish diplo-
matic relations with Israel.
* * *
A joint communique issued in
Jerusalem by the government of
Israel and by Dr. Birrenbach an-
nounced that the two govern.
ments have agreed to exchange
ambassadors "within the next
few weeks."
Asserting that the conversations
about the exchange of ambassa-
dors have resulted in a decision
to implement that step shortly, the
communique declared:
"Other matters of concern to
both governments were discussed
in a spirit of mutual desire to ar-
rive at agreed solutions. It can be
expected that complete agreement
on the matters discussed will be
reached shortly."
The "other matters" are believ-
ed to include the question of West
Germany's aid to Israel's security,
on which agreement had apparent-
ly been reached in principle, al-
though some details remain to be
ironed out. R e l i able Israeli
End of Reparations
to Bring$74Million
in Goods to Israel
BONN (JTA)—Israel will receive
300,000,000 marks, ($74,000,000)
worth of products during the 1965-
66 year of the reparations agree-
ment with West Germany, the last
year of the pact signed in 1952.
A. Boehr, director-general of the
West German economics ministry,
said that the protocol for the final
year had been signed by him in
Cologne after Dr. Felix Shinnar,
head of the Israel mission at Col-
ogne, signed it in Jerusalem.
The West German official said
that, under the agreement, West
Germany was paying reparations
totaling 3,000,000,000 marks ($750,
000,000) to Israel, and 450,000,000
marks ($112,500,000) to the Con-
ference on Jewish Material Claims
Against Germany.
These reparations payments are
separate from individual restitution
and indemnification payments made
by West Germany to victims and
heirs of victims of the Nazi holo-
caust.
He said that, by the end of the
agreement, Israel will have receiv-
ed goods from West Germany,
totaling in value 2,400,000,000
marks ($600,000,000). Of that
am oun t, he said, 1,500,000,000
marks ($375,000,000) was in the
purchase of raw oil.
•
•
sources expressed satisfaction
with the talks with the German
envoy. It is believed that on the
major question of West German
supply of the remainder of the
arms it had promised to Israel
and suddenly cut off several weeks
ago, under pressure by Egypt, a
formula has been evolved and
awaits only final approval by Dr.
Erhard.
In regard to the German scien-
tists at work in Egypt on sophis-
ticated arms intended ultimately
for use against Israel, Bonn has
reportedly assured Israel that it
will do its utmost in that area of
controversy. Germany is said to
have told Israel that most of the
German missile and rocket scien-
tists in Egypt had already return-
ed to West Germany, and that no
more German scientists are going
to Egypt. In regard to the ex-
change of ambassadors, the agree-
ment is said to include a clause
giving the Germans the right to
open their embassy in Tel Aviv,
instead of in Jerusalem.
It was reported that Israel
wanted West Germany to estab-
lish its embassy in Jerusalem
but it was understood that this,
and other unresolved questions,
have not been put to Bonn as a
pre-condition for an exchange of
ambassadors. So far, it was re-
ported, Israel has not chosen an
ambassador to Bonn. Asher Ben
Nathan, former director general
of the Israel Defense Ministry,
was named last month to replace
Dr. Felix Shinnar as head of the
Israel mission at Cologne and it
appeared he might be named am-
bassador. Another candidate
mentioned was Dr. Y. Yahil,
BULLETIN
* * *
BONN, (JTA) — The Bundestag,
lower house of the West German
Parliament, was expected to pro-
long the statute of limitations on
the prosecution of Nazi war cri-
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
40—Friday, March 26, 1965
Dr. Kurt Birrenbach,
Chancellor Erhard's
special envoy, is shown
in Jerusalem with an
Israeli foreign minis-
try escort, on his way
for a private meeting
w i t h Prime Minister
Levi Eshkol to resolve
pending issues between
the Jewish state and
the West German
Republic.
France Supports
Israel's Stand on
Jordan Waters
wheelchair, had planned to attend which his talks with Israeli leaders
but apparently was dissuaded by were held and by the consideration
his doctors.
they had shown for West German
interests. He thanked the Israel
Predicting at an improvised government for the friendly atmos-
press conference at Lydda Air- phere of the talks, mentioning par-
port, that the talks would suc- ticularly Premier Levi Eshkol,
ceed, Dr. Birrenbach said that Eban and Deputy Defense Mini-
establishment of relations would ster Shimon Peres.
be a historic turning point for
Some observers speculated
both countries. He declared he about the content of negotiations
was convinced "we shall reach West Germany was currently car-
a settlement appropriate and rying on with Egypt. While no con-
legitimate to the interests of tradiction was seen in West Ger-
both countries. We have come a many's efforts to preserve friendl ;-=rte
long way and I am optimistic of relations with both Israel and t;<=_, _
the final out come of future Arabs, there was anxiety over th.e
possibility that the price West
talks."
Dr. Birrenbach said he had been Germany might pay for restora-
impressed by the "good spirit" in tion of better relations with the
regime of President Nasser might
be the substantial strengthening
of Nasser's war machine, particu-
larly in missile research.
Deputy Prime Minister Eban,
serving as acting foreign minister
in the absence of Mrs. Golda Meir,
received separately Monday the
United States, Soviet and Polish
ambassadors to brief them on de-
velopments following Israel's ac-
ceptance of the West German of-
fer .of diplomatic relations.
Shazar Views U. S.
as Key to Israel
Security in M.E.
—JTA Photo Copyright
Levi Eshkol to See Harriman on Visit
to Britain; Erhard Meeting Ruled Out
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
TEL AVIV—Premier Levi Eshkol
said Wednesday at Lydda Airport,
as he left for London, that he
would not meet West German Chan-
cellor Ludwig Erhard during his
current European visit, but that he
PARIS (JTA)—Mrs. Golda Meir, would meet W. Averell Harriman,
Israel's foreign minister, said after
three hours of talks with French Ex-Nazi Chief on Trial
Foreign Minister Maurice Couve
de Murville that "France supports for Murder of 10,00 Jews;
Israel's stand on the Arab threat Admits Seeing Shootings
to divert the Jordan River waters."
VIENNA (JTA) — The former
However, on the issue of Israel's chief of the "Jewish Department"
urgent concern for changes in its of Tarnopol, in Galicia, under the
pact with the European Common Nazi regime, went on trial for the
Market, she reported only that the murder of 10,000 Jews in the Lu-
French diplomat "showed under- blin and Tarnopol districts in 1942
standing for Israel's problems." It and 1943. The area was then Polish
was understood that he gave Mrs. territory.
Meir no definite assurances to sup-
The defendant is Friedrich Lex,
port Israel's plea for a complete 63. According to the indictment,
revision of its present links to the he personally murdered a number
European economic community.
of Jews and ordered the transport
of many thousands of others to the
Belzec death camp. Between April
1942 and June 1943, 43,400 Galici-
an Jews were murdered by the
minals from May 8, 1965 to 1980, Nazis, of whom 40,000 were from
following recommendations recei- the Tarnopol district.
As the trial opened Lex admit-
ved from the Bundestag's legal
ted to the court that he was pres-
committee.
mass shootings of Jews,
The principle of prolongation of ent during
denied he had engaged "in
the cut-off date was adopted by but
personal activity" in those occur-
the Bundestag and referred to the rences. The prosecutor told the
legal committee for the drafting court he expects to call 22 wit-
of details. The committee has re- nesses, including 12 from Israel.
commended extension in t w o Only 30 persons were in the court
steps: 1. The starting date would room's visitirs' gallery when the
be fixed as Jan. 1, 1950, when trial opened.
West Germany became a sover-
* * *
eign state, instead of 1945, when
Nazi Crimes Subject
World War II ended officially.
2. The statute would run for 30 to Trial Any Time,
years from the 1950 date, thus
setting the cut-off date as ef- Austria Cabinet Rules
fective in 1980. The committee
VIENNA (JTA) — Austria's
defeated a proposal by the op-
cabinet voted to amend the Crimi-
position Social Democrats that nal Code, providing that no statute
no limitation at all be fixed on
of limitations would operate in
prosecutions for major war this country in regard to arrest,
crimes.
prosecution and punishment for
A second bill to be brought in- capital crimes.
to the Bundestag by the commit-
The amendment included specif-
tee this week will give judges the ically "all crimes committed by
authority to throw out cases Nazis between 1938 and 1945,"
against minor Nazi offenders. Both specifying that prosecution for
bills were to come up for second such crimes may be begun any
and third reading this week, and time in the future "without any
their adoption was expeCted.
time limitation."
Statute Extension in Bundestag
As The Jewish News went
to press Thursday, the Asso-
ciated Press repo rt e d that
passage of a bill extending the
statute of limitations for five
years was assured in the
Bundestag, lower house of the
West German parliament. Be-
fore the final vote later in the
day, Christian Democrats and
the opposition Socialist Party
had agreed on the five-
year extension, which would
date from Jan. 1, 1950, the
report said. New protests
were seen as inevitable if the
statute was extended by only
five years.
former director general of the
foreign ministry.
The vote in the Knesset on diplo-
matic relations with. Germany was
taken by roll call, which is rarely
used. The roll call was used in
1952 in the vote on the West Ger-
man reparations agreement. Of the
120 members of parliament, 105 at-
tended the session March 16. Two
of the most persistent advocates
of relations with West Germany,
former Premier David Ben-Gurion
and Deputy Defense Minister
Shimon Peres, were absent. The
former premier has refused to at-
tend Knesset sessions since he re-
signed as pr e m i e r and Peres
is abroad. Former Premier Moshe
Sharett, who is confined to a
JERUSALEM — "The key to Is-
rael's security is in the hands of
the American government," Pres-
ident Zalman Shazar of Israel told
a visiting American Jewish Com-
mittee delegation this week.
"And one of the keys to that
key," Shazar said, "lies in the pol-
itical weight of Jewish public opin-
ion in the United States and in
the aid it receives from understand-
ing non-Jewish circles.
"It is a most significant role that
you can play in the maintenance
of Middle East peace," he said.
The group, in Israel March 9-22,
was composed of 50 community
leaders from 20 U.S. cities.
* * *
President Johnson's special repre-
sentative in London.
He said he hoped his visit would
contribute to bettering relations
with Britain in all fields, noting
that "Britain maintains an active
policy and watches closely the
events in our region."
He inspected a guard of honor
of the engineers corps unit. After
the band played Hatikvah, he and
his party boarded an El Al Boeing
airliner. He was accompanied by Johnson Mum on Issue
Mrs. Eshkol and his entourage, in- of Arms to Israel
cluding his chief military aide,
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Pres-
Col. Yitzhak Nissiyahu, and Ehud
ident Johnson declined at his
Avriel and . Dr. Yaacov Herzog,. press
conference last weekend to
deputy directors general of the indicate
whether the United States
foreign ministry.
would provide arms to Israel. He
was asked by one of the corre-
Austrian Justice Minister spondents present at the confer-
ence the following question:
Orders Investigation of
"The West German arms supply
Ex-Nazi Judges, Professors to Israel instituted with United
VIENNA (JTA) — After receiv- States support has been cut off.
ing a memorandum from the In view of this, would the United
Austrian Resistance Movement, States be willing to supply arms
complaining that the Austrian to Israel to maintain a balance of
courts and prosecutors' offices are power?"
President Johnson r e p 1 he d:
riddled with judges who meted out
"We don't discuss iffy questions
death penalties against anti-Nazis
like that. We will give considera-
during the Hitler regime in this
tion
to the problems and the
country, Minister of Justice Chris-
needs of the various nations and
tian Broda ordered a full investi-
countries, and while we have
gation of the accusations.
them under consideration we'll
In the memorandum, the former
try to evaluate them. If a deci-
resistance fighters named names
sion is reached in any area with
of persons holding high posts in
any country, why, we will carry
various juridical and legal posts.
it out. But we don't think that
Among them were some judges in
it's desirable to speculate or en-
high courts, at least a dozen other
gage in any prophesies that may
judges, officers of the ministry of or
may not work out."
justice, prosecutors, prominent at-
Earlier State Department spokes-
torneys and law professors at man
Robert McCloskey said the
some leading Austrian universi- United
States and Israel will carry
ties.
on talks through diplomatic chan-
* * *
nels on Israel's interest in obtain-
WJCongress Appeals
ing American arms. He declined
say if Israel has registered a
to UN on German Trails to
formal request. According to Mc-
NEW YORK—An appeal for Closkey, conclusions have not yet
worldwide action to bring Nazi been reached.
criminals to justice, no matter
If a time came when the United
their present whereabouts, has been States decided that U. S. tanks
made to the United Nations by the were essential for maintenance of
World Jewish Congress.
a balance, the United States prob-
The appeal is in the form of a ably would make the sale, it was
memorandum submitted to the indicated. Meanwhile, the United
UN Commission on Human Rights States wishes to avoid any action
which began its 21st session in that might give offense to the
Geneva Monday.
Arabs.
rJ