British Jews Concerned over British-iraqi-turkish Pact

“Deep concern” over Britain’s joining the Turco-Iraqi pact and the exclusion of Israel from Middle East defense plans was expressed in a resolution adopted here today at a meeting of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The Board resolution noted the “increasing isolation in which Israel has been placed as a result of the recently concluded pact between the United Kingdom, Turkey and Iraq.”

“This isolation of Israel,” the resolution continued, “is fraught with greater peril because of provisions in the treaty for considerably increased military aid to Iraq whilst, concurrently, the supply of arms from the U.S.A. and from the United Kingdom is continued to other Arab states.”

The deputies expressed their hope that the British Government “will give further and earnest consideration to proposals that the government enter into treaty relations with Israel as a reinforcement of Israel’s security and as a powerful factor toward pacification of the whole area; and that the government will treat Israel on a basis of equality with Arab states in the supply of defensive arms, and will continue its efforts, in concert with other Western Powers, to bring about peace talks between Israel and the Arab states.”

Meanwhile, in a resolution adopted at its annual assembly in Llandudno, North Wales his week-end, Britain’s Liberal Party expressed strong support for Israel in the increasingly tense Middle Eastern situation. The resolution, which was adopted unanimously, said that sporadic conflicts on Israel’s borders were inevitable so long as her neighbors deliberately maintained a state of tension by refusing to discuss peace terms. It urged the governments of Great Britain and the United States to exert efforts to bring the state of war to an end.