Syrian President Announces Country’s Readiness for War with Israel

Syrian President Atassi announced today that Syria was ready “at any moment” to launch a war on Israel, it was reported here from Beirut. He invited all Arabs to come to Syria to join ranks of his “popular army” of farmers, workers and peasants for the “war of liberation.”

Another report from Beirut said that United States diplomats in Arab countries were asked by the governments there to clarify whether or not the United States had assured Israel that the U.S. Sixth Fleet would defend the Jewish State. The Arabs made reference to an interview of Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol published by the U.S. News and World Report magazine. Mr. Eshkol indicated in the interview that the United States had given Israel defense assurances involving the Sixth Fleet. On Washington, State Department sources commented that despite reports from Beirut and Amman they were not aware here of any inquiries by Arab states for clarification of the Eshkol remarks.)

It was also reported here today that a number of so-called pro-Western Arab governments had asked the United States to define its security commitments to them and to Israel. The Arabs were said to be asking whether the United States had made some unilateral commitment to Israel that differs from the often stated general American expression that the United States supports the territorial integrity of the states of the region and opposes aggression by any state.

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara has come under heavy criticism from the Syrian press and radio because of his recent comments on Soviet arms shipments to Syria and the fact that the United States is selling limited quantities of defensive weapons to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Mr. McNamara’s reference to the Near East occurred in connection with the submittal to Congress of a new defense budget.