A group of pro-Israel Congressmen will have a showdown with Secretary of State Dean Achason this week on the question of arming the Middle East. It was learned today in Washington that the group, composed of lawmakers from both major parties, will confer with the Secretary of State either Tuesday or Wednesday.
About 15 members of the House will attend the showdown meeting. They will ask for an explanation of the State Department’s hands-off policy on the rearming of Arab ccuntries. The Department has consistently declared the shipment of arms–reportedly including jet planes, tanks and heavy artillery–is not a threat to peace in the Middle East.
The lawmakers are expected to demand a final decision on whether the United States will release for export to Israel a long list of war materials requested several weeks ago by Israel Ambassador Eliahu Elath. The Department has said the list is still under study, by diplomatic and military officials.
(Conservative and Liberal opposition leaders in Parliament plan to raise the question of Britain’s supplying arms to the Arab states in the foreign affairs debate scheduled for Thursday, it was learned today in London. Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin will reply for the government.)
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