Attlee Urges Arms for Israel; Criticizes U.S. Policy in Middle East

The American Government policy in the Middle East was strongly criticized today in the House of Lords by a former British Prime Minister, Earl Attlee, in his first parliamentary speech as a peer, while in the House of Commons a number of speakers pressed Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden for a clear cut statement as to what Britain and the United States are doing to prevent the possibility of an Arab-Israel war.

Earl Attlee told the House of Lords that he believes “a certain amount of modern weapons, particularly aircraft,” should be given to Israel “as a deterrent” against war. Prime Minister Eden hinted that the Big Three Western allies have now drawn up in Washington new military and political plans aimed at checking a sudden air attack on Israel.

“No one has suggested,” said Earl Attlee, “that there is a need to pile up arms in Israel. But a certain amount of modern weapons as a deterrent does not amount to an arms race any more than I regarded it as such when we formed NATO. We did not form NATO to try to compete in quantity with the USSR, but to have adequate arms for a deterrent against sudden attack. I think that is needed today in Israel where there is very great trepidation because of the piling up of arms on the other side.”

In Commons, Sir Anthony Eden, the Prime Minister, indicated that he might be ready to announce next week some of the results the tripartite discussions on the Middle East under way in Washington now among representatives of Britain, France and the United States. Replying to a Conservative Party member’s enquiry about the Washington talks; Sir Anthony said: “They are continuing, and I shall see whether I can make a detailed reply next week. The results of those talks are bound to be; of course, confidential and it may be difficult to make a public statement.”