Golda Meir Reports on Cabinet’s Decision to Purchase More Arms

Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel’s Foreign Minister, briefed the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, today on the decision of the Cabinet this week to speed up purchase of arms and to seek international support against the renewed belligerence of the United Arab Republic.

She explained the decision was designed to counter the threat of an upset of the balance of power between Israel and the Arab states which may be caused by a continued flow of Soviet arms to the Arab countries.

The Israel Government will embark on a diplomatic and information campaign as a consequence of the United Nations “failure” to solve the anti-Israel blockade of the Suez Canal after the UN Secretary General’s inability to achieve anything in conversations in Cairo on the problem, she said.

She also was understood to have replied to questions about the demilitarized zone southeast of Lake Tiberias, where clashes took place for more than a week recently, and about the stalemate which developed from Syria’s refusal to remove armed military personnel from the zone in violation of the Israel-Syrian armistice agreement.

Meanwhile, it was reported here today that the Syrian representative on the Israel-Syrian Mixed Armistice Commission formally rejected yesterday a proposal from Israel to discuss measures for the restoration of peaceful conditions in the demilitarized zone near Lake Tiberias.

The representative made Syria’s position known to the chairman of the MAC, declaring that Syria was not willing to take part in such talks as long as Israel refuses to discuss the status of the demilitarized zone, scene of sharp fighting for more than a week recently.

Israel has consistently taken the position that the demilitarized zone is completely within Israel territory and that Syria, therefore, has no claims to the zone and cannot participate in talks on a matter which Israel considers as solely one between Israel and the United Nations.