Soviet Russia’s supply of powerful offensive weapons to the United Arab Republic and Iraq is inconsistent with its proposals for disarmament, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion declared today in the Kuesset, Israel’s Parliament.
He made the statement in reply to a Communist motion for debate on the Supreme Soviets appeal to world parliaments for support of disarmament. The Prime Minister said any such debate on the subject would be redundant because disarmament was one of the Israel Government’s basic policies which the Knesset had overwhelmingly approved last month at the presentation of the new government.
The Prime Minister cited the Israel Government’s proposal for regional disarmament, starting at least with the Middle East if global disarmament was not feasible now.
He said Soviet Premier Khrushchev’s disarmament speech before the United Nations General Assembly last year, while undoubtedly made in good faith, clashed with the fact that the United Arab Republic and Iraq were obtaining “great supplies” of weapons from Soviet Russia. He added that both Arab countries were openly threatening aggression against Israel. The motion, which only the Communists supported, was removed from the agenda.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
