•
Pompidou Agrees to Meet on Embargoed Jets
PARIS (JTA)—The JTA here
learned that President Georges
Pompidou has agreed to meet with
Israel Ambassador Asher Ben
Natan to try to break the dead-
lock in Franco-Israeli negotiations
over the reimbursement for 50 em-
bargoed Mirage jets.
The meeting will be held next
week at the Elysee Palace, ac-
cording to the JTA report which
was confirmed by the French
newspaper Le Monde.
According to JTA's sources,
Pompidou was disturbed when he
learned recently that- the negotia-
tions were stalled and decided to
take matters into his own hands
so as not to further sour Franco-
Israeli relations.
A French official told the JTA
that in Pompidou's view, the nego-
tiations were intended to settle dif-
ferences still outstanding between
`City Polarizing
Blacks, Jews on
Queens Project'
NEW YORK (JTA)—The Rab-
inical Council of America accused
the New York City administration
of deliberately polarizing the
Black and Jewish communities
with respect to the controversial
low-income housing project in For-
est Hills and called on the leaders
of both communities "to short-cir-
cuit City Hall and establish their
own dialogue."
But Rabbi Israel Klaven, execu-
tive vice president of the Orthodox
rabbinical group, denied that it
was in conflict with the position
adopted by the Synagogue Council
of America which had gone on
record in favor of the principle of
scatter-site housing to remove the
poor from inner city ghettos but
wants the Forest Hills project
scaled down in size.
The Synagogue Council, a co-
ordinating agency for the rab-
binical la n d congregational
branches of Reform, Conserva-
tive and Orthodox Judaism,
adopted a resolution last week
urging the city to call a mora-
torium on construction of the
project while an independent
group of experts "seek to deter-
mine" its "economic and social
feasibility."
Negotiations •between Israel and
France to settle the Mirage issue
began several -months ago and
were confirmed in Jerusalem and
Paris last October.
The 50 supersonic jets, bought
and paid for by Israel, were em-
bargoed by -the late President
Charles de Gaulle during the Six-
Day War.
The embargo was continued by
the Pompidou regime, but Israel,
which had originally insisted on
the planes, subsequently agreed
to accept reimbursement.
The way to an agreement was
cleared when France announced
that its air force would absorb the
planes, thereby allaying Israeli
fears that they would be sold to a
third party for possible use against
Israel.
A stumbling block developed
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS •
over the financial arangements.
Israel reportedly insisted on re-
imbursement for the aircrafts'
cost plus interest. The French
government reportedly made
counter-demands for payment for
storage and maintenance of the
Mirages.
the two countries rather than to
exacerbate them.
Le Monde, which quoted the
JTA report at length, said
Pompidou and Ben Natan would
discuss the over-all implica-
tions of Franco-Israeli relations
at their meeting.
18—Fritley, December 31, 1971
French sources said Pompidou
was surprised to learn that no
progress had been made toward a
settlement and recently called for
the Mirage file and details of the
meetings which he studied before
deciding to meet with Ben Natan.
The latter, and Paul Kedar, a
representative of Israel's defense
ministry, had been negotiating
with Secretary General Herve Al-
phand of the French Foreign Of-
fice and Gen. De L'Etoile, head of
the French interministerial com-
mittee for arms sales.
*
•
•
*
•
per person—one price only
First Come First Served
Leave NYC -.on.
New S.S.
Jan. 7 for 8 Pairs
San Juan, St. Thonlas,
Call Greek Line Collect
Lowest Rentals
purchase option
BEST SERVICE
Factory trained experts
Quickest Results
ADD-n-TYPE SHOPS,
68* 3030
INC.
342-7600
F
A statement issued by Rabbi
Bernard L. Berzon, president of
the Rabbinical Council of America
said, "We are distressed by the
name calling and by the fact that
individuals who perviously were
at the forefront of the liberal move-
ment are now being called bigots
and racists. There is a choosing
up of sides and people are being
pu,heci into positions which deny-
hing they ever stood for."
R.it. 1 Berzon stated that "de-
. long history of effort in
beha.' • all people, we (the Rab-
b ,r.:c Council ) are convinced
project, in its present
mot work and can only
f ;, •
he community of Forest
spite
ii,!
Labur "arty Backs Golds
Critic: in of 'Witch Hunt'
TEL AVIV (JTA)—The Labor
Party leadership supported Pre-
mier Golda Meir Sunday in her
criticism of the news media for
casting "wild aspersions" on pub-
lic figures mentioned in connec-
tion with a series of alleged scan-
dals in government-owner com-
panies.
The party leaders echoed Mrs.
Meir's pledge that the allegations
which are currently under investi-
gation by official bodies would be
pursued without favoritism.
Mrs. Meir was especially angry
over charges against Justice Min-
ister Yaacov Shimsbon Shapiro
and Finance • Minister Pinhas
Sapir.
If your mind's made up, we
guess your mind's made up. All
we can do is give you the facts.
One, it is not true that we
charge admission to the lobby.
Two, it is not true that we
refuse to serve anyone under the
rank of senior vice president.
Three, it is not true that we
only accept payment in Swiss
bank drafts.
And, Four, Five, and Six,
lunch, cocktails, and dinner are
no more expensive here than at
any other place of equal quality.
If there is any other place
of equal quality.
LC
West Grand MEd. at Cuss
Reservations. 873-3000