Eighty-seven Democratic and forty Republican members of the House of Representatives today pleaded separately, with the U. S. Government to permit Israel to purchase defensive arms in this country in view of Egyptian purchase of arms from Communist countries
The Republican plea was in the form of a letter presented personally by five Republican Congressmen to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles this afternoon. The Democratic plea was contained in a declaration. More Congressmen would have signed both undertakings but for the speedy execution of the Republican letter and the Democratic declaration and the absence of many Congressmen from Washington.
In their letter to Secretary Dulles, the Republican Congressmen said they “have individually, and new collectively, taken the position that Israel as a firm part of the free world should be allowed to obtain in the open market such weapons as would assure her protection against aggression.” The letter asked point blank; “What is the position of the State Department on this matter?”
The Republican Congressmen urged in their letter that “a treaty of peace and a guarantee of existing frontiers should be offered to all interested parties in the Middle East and should be implemented promptly as to the frontiers of that nation or those nations which accept the proposed peace terms. Otherwise we continue to be faced with the refusal of some nations to enter into peace negotiations or even to recognize the existence of the State of Israel.”
Declaring that they do not believe that economic aid should be extended to any nation which engages in “warlike or aggressive maneuvers against any part of the free world, the Republican Congressmen stated: “As members of Congress, who support the aims and objectives of this Administration, we are particularly anxious that our constituents be advised that the Department is taking positive steps toward the protection of free nations such as Israel and toward the dissolution of dangers which in threatening the peace of Israel, threaten also the peace of the free world.”
OPPOSE SUGGESTIONS THAT ISRAEL YIELD TERRITORY TO ARABS
The declaration by the Democratic members of Congress, signed by Democratic floor leader John W. McCormack and many other important members of the House, urged the U.S. Government “to permit Israel to purchase the $50,000,000 of defensive arms which she seeks in this country strictly for purposes of self-defense,” The declaration emphasized that “Israel is firmly a part of free world and she may be counted upon not only to defend herself, but also to join in the defense of the free world.”
“The American people will not tolerate anything so immoral as the sacrifice of Israel to Communist infiltration of the Near East,” the declaration said. “The time to act is now. Failure to take action will encourage the Communist offensive, increase tension, and endanger freedom.” The Democratic Congressmen pointed out that while they were opposed to an arms race, they believed that the military capability for safeguarding Israel’s national existence must be maintained. “We believe the danger of war will be seriously increased if the Arab nations attain a military preponderance capable of use for aggression because of the Communist initiative, “they stated.
“We have heard with regret that there are proposals that Israel be asked to yield vital territory of her small area to the Arab states. We believe this is the road to appeasement, not the road to peace,” the Democratic declaration said. Urging an “honorable peace settlement” as the best way of ending the war threat in the Middle East, the Democrats suggested that the United States work with other interested nations to negotiate formal treaties within the framework of the United Nations guaranteeing existing frontiers.
“But,” said the Democratic statement, “to make peace we need agreement to negotiate and until there is agreement by the Arab nations to sit down at the peace table, there is the present danger of a major outbreak of hostilities.” Therefore, arms sales to Israel were recommended.
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