Arab Diplomats Visit State Department to Block Israel Aid

Diplomatic representatives of seven Arab countries today joined in asking the State Department not to aid Israel because of the Soviet-Israel rift. They said that “Communists are exploiting the rift” and that aid to Israel at this juncture “will amount to throwing oil on smouldering fire. “

The group, which called on Gen. Walter Bedell Smith, Under Secretary of State, included the diplomatic representatives of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The spokesman was Egyptian Ambassador Kamil Bey Abdul Rahim. He said that aid to Israel would mean giving “more arguments and more weapons” to the Communist cause.

The Egyptian said the Arab diplomats decided to make the group visit the State Department as a result of publicity arising from Russia’s break with Israel. “We expressed the concern of our governments and people about new tendencies in the Near East to exploit this last rift between Israel and the Soviet Union and Israel’s bid for moral and material support,” he revealed. He said that the delegation expressed “apprehension” over the “dangers involved in indulgence in such support.”

The Arabs were alarmed over the situation by which Israel may get increased support, he stated, warning that this would aid “vigorous Communist propaganda in the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, it was reported here today from Moscow that the “Literary Gazette” there came out with an article accusing Israel of practicing religious discrimination against Moslems and establishing “ghettos” for Arab and subjecting them to “intolerable” conditions. The Communist organ said the “ghettos” were modelled after similar places established by Hitler for the Jews. The Moscow paper also charged that the Zionist movement is run by “American millionaries Lehman, Morgenthau and the Warburgs.”