dandaP ACTION DEPARTMENT OF STATE -P6 W- /1/E4 xe POL 4;64 14/ /Sg
FOR Pm USE ONLY
A-53 CONFIDENTIAL NO. HANDLING INDICATOR
TO : Department of State if; 7 3 10 INFO : Berlin, Bonny Cairo, Jerusalem, London, Moscow, Paris /50 AID
.s/.s 3//2 4 I AOR CON FAO. , FROM : Amembassy TEL AVIV DATE: July 21, 1966
T LAS TAR SUBJECT: Controversy over Speech of German Ambassador
REF
r-On June 30, 1966, the occasion of "German Day at the Tel Aviv Trade Fair, West German Ambassador Dr. Rolf PAULS delivered a speech that provoked wide- spread press comment, most of which was critical, followed by conciliatory . statements by Foreign Minister Abbe EZIAN and the Israeli Ambassador to Bonn Asher BEN-NATHAN. The prime targets of the press were statements by Dr. Paula to the effect that: 1) West Germany has already regained a posi- tion of honor in the international community and thus was no longer in need of any special dispensation; 2) some Israelis were unfortunately prone to stirring up the past "for political reasons," and 3) the ggaUty of Israeli- West German relations would largely depend on Israel