_ VIETNAMESE THANK ISRAELT
DEMONSTRATORS
Tel Aviv
7 letter of thanks for expressions of solidarity with the. ae struggle of the Vietnamese people -- the first of its kind received. | in Israel --,.was sent by-the European delegation of the National... Front for the Liberation of south Vietnam to the secretary. of the Israeli Peace Committee , Yaakov Majus.
The. letter was. read. at a well- attended. meeting. of solidarity. with Vietnam held recently in Tel. Aviv under sponsorship of the. — Israeli Peace Committee. Both Jewish and Arab youth were present.
The text of the letter was as follows:
- "Allow me to acknowledge receipt of your letter and telegram of February 15 and. 16 to Professor Nguin-Van-Hiu, chairman of our European delegation. As he is still away traveling, and in order to avoid further delays, we wish to thank you for your expression of solidarity with the struggle of our people. -
{We are following with. much interest and . thanks the - Campaign” . the forces of peace in Israel. are waging against the American war of. aggression in Vietnam. We are.confident that more and more: people in. Israel will join this movement and demand the cessation of the war by the American government, withdrawal of her troops, so that the people of. Vietnam wilt be: deft alone and free ko settle their own affairs.” 7 os, a ne : Ce,
"With greetings for peace. and best ‘regards - ‘on | behalf. of the - o secretariat of the National Front for the Liberation of south Vietnam. in Czechoslovakia.
“Pam Van-Chuing."
The letter was read by the chairman of the meeting Dov Peleg (secretary. of the youth section of the Mapam -- left Socialist party). It was greeted enthusiastically by the youthful audience.
. Speeches were | ‘given. by Muhamed Yunes (Mapam), the writer’ ‘and | translator Mordekai Avi-Shaul, Danny Peter (Communist party) and the Canadian-born theatrical producer and veteran of the Spanish Civil War, Peter Frey, who compared the anti-imperialist war of liberation of the Vietnamese people with the struggle waged thirty years ago PY, the Spanish workers and peasants.
The meeting concluded with the sending of a . telegram of protest to.the American embassy:in Israel, demanding cessation of American aggression and: the granting of the right .of. the Vietnamese to decide their own future.
This meeting wasn't the only expression of solidarity with Vietnam in Israel. During the last few months, many meetings were held all over the country by the various workers parties, except, of
course, for the official Social-~Democratic Mapai.
A pamphlet on Vietnam has been published and distributed by. the youth section of the Mapam.
Two demonstrations were held on Saturday, March 26, in Tel Aviv and Haifa, as part of the "International Solidarity Day with Vietnam." Thousands of workers and youths participated in these demonstrations.
The Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Abba Eban denied a statement made by Saigon's ambassador in Washington regarding a decision by his government to-establish diplomatic relations with Israel so that aid. could be received from Israel in establishing frontier settlements. Eban declared in the Kresset [parliament] that his government doesn't contemplate establishing diplomatic relations at this stage. He denied having made any contacts with Saigon for this purpose.
At a public. forum held in Tel Aviv, the representatives of the major political parties, including right-wing opposition parties, endorsed the statement made by the minister.
The Israeli press and politically informed circles consider the statement made. by the Saigon ambassador in Washington.to be part of the political and diplomatic pressure being exerted lately by the American government on Israel to establish diplomatic relations with Saigon.
So far, the Eshkol government has successfully resisted the American pressure. It's up to mass pressure from the Israeli socialist and peace movement to prevent any change of the government's policy regarding the blood-stained Saigon regime.
"WAR ON POVERTY" ADDS FUEL TO