Once again the Eden Government today refused to agree to cease supplying arms to Egypt and the other Arab states as long as they continue to threaten Israel’s territorial integrity. Replying to Laborite Konni Zilliacus, Foreign Secretary Harold Macmillan told Commons that it was the government’s “policy to supply arms to the Middle East” in accordance with the Tripartite Declaration of 1950 and treaty obligations.
Mr. Macmillan rejected Mr. Zilliacus’ suggestion that Britain was forcing Israel to make territorial concessions under threat of force by the Arabs, contrary to the United Nations Charter. He said Britain’s “sole purpose” was to try to assist in a settlement and that members on both sides of the House were “keenly anxious” to see a settlement reached. Asked whether Britain would refuse to supply arms to countries which get weapons from the Soviet bloc, he replied negatively because Britain was not in a position to enforce any arms embargo since it no longer had a dominant role in supplying arms to the Middle East.
As Mr. Zilliacus continued posing questions, Mr. Macmillan turned down a proposal that the Arabs be warned that Britain would not act as a mediator in the conflict unless they ended their state of war against Israel. He denied that the Security Council had ever labelled the Arabs aggressors against Israel, and asserted that both sides had at one time or another violated Security Council resolutions and that nothing would be gained by attempting to apportion blame upon either side.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
