Sovereign Wrong

At first, Argentina protested just as a matter of form. TIME Correspondent Piero Saporiti had reported that Nazi Adolf Eichmann had been run down by Israeli agents in Buenos Aires and whisked out of the country in an Israeli plane. Off went Argentina's note to Israel, asking for information and tacitly inviting an equally pro forma denial that the Israeli government knew anything about it. But last week Israel's Premier Ben-Gurion replied with one of the most undiplomatic notes in diplomatic history--and the Argentines wished they had not asked.

Instead of the expected diplomatic evasion, old Ben-Gurion admitted that Eichmann had indeed been tracked down in Argentina and surreptitiously taken to Israel. To compound this admission, the Israeli Premier then proceeded to add some flagrantly unbelievable details. Having first announced that Eichmann had been found by "Israeli security services," he now insisted that the Nazi's captors were merely "volunteers," with no official status. Furthermore, it was not really a kidnaping at all. When the volunteers found Eichmann, said the Israeli note, he had "spontaneously" agreed to go to Israel to stand trial.

Thorough Annoyance. This was hard for anybody, let alone a touchy Argentina, to swallow. Argentines got the feeling that not only had their sovereignty been flouted in the eyes of the world, but that Israel was treating them like gullible fools. Nor were they pleased by a gratui tous reference in the Israeli note to "numerous Nazis" living in Argentina. It is true that ex-Dictator Juan Peron had granted asylum to many Nazis; the present government does not enjoy being reminded of the sins of its predecessors.

Thoroughly annoyed, Argentina's President Arturo Frondizi personally penned a sharp note to Israel, protesting "the illicit act committed in violation of one of the most fundamental rights of the Argentine state." He demanded Eichmann's return within the week and yanked his ambassador to Israel back home for ''consultation." Once Israel returned Eichmann, Argentina would consider a formal request for his extradition--but only from West Germany or some international tribunal.

Supreme Justice. At week's end Ben-Gurion sent an emotional personal letter to Frondizi, apologizing for the "formal violation" and pleading for understanding of the "profound motivation and supreme moral justification of this act." But Eichmann would probably not go back; Israeli feeling against the Nazi murder expert runs so high that Ben-Gurion would scarcely dare to return him, even if he wanted to. If he does not, Argentina promises to hale Israel before the United Nations, where it is likely to have plenty of support from other Latin-and African-bloc nations. Many could sympathize with the Israelis' hatred for Eichmann. But their high-handed disregard of international law--and even of diplomatic niceties--was costing them much of that sympathy. As one Argentine Foreign Office official said: "Israel asked for this. They should have known better."

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