Iraq and Egypt are attempting here to pressure the United States into forcing Israel to make drastic concessions to prove the American Government’s friendship for the Arabs.
Iraq’s former Prime Minister Nuri as-Said, who is still considered one of Iraq’s leading statesmen, met today for the second time within a few days with Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. He was also received today by President Eisenhower, but refused to divulge details of his talk with the President.
Yesterday, Secretary Dulles received Egyptian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Fawzi and discussed the Middle East situation with him for more than an hour. It is believed that he hinted the United States could seize the initiative from Russia by a new approach to the question of Israel’s boundaries and the Arab refugee issue. Arab diplomats have been spreading reports that Moscow is preparing to launch a campaign for a return to the 1947 partition boundaries of Israel.
Mr. as-Said, who was Premier of Iraq twelve times since 1922, is believed to have urged Secretary Dulles to adopt a tough new U.S. policy toward Israel, arguing that this would strengthen the position of pro-Western Arabs. Mr. as-Said is understood to advocate the view that substantial sacrifices must be extracted from Israel, in territory and funds for compensation of Arab refugees, before the Arab-Israel dispute can be settled.
He also advanced the view that settlement of the Arab-Israel conflict is imperative for the defense of the Middle East against Soviet penetration since Moscow is playing on Arab sentiments by pretending that the Soviet Government is helping the Arab states defend themselves against Israel.
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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.
