Senator Everett M. Dirksen, of Illinois, Senate Minority leader, declared at a weekend press conference here that the United States should supply Israel with supersonic Phantom Jet military aircraft in order to maintain a balance between the aerial build-up of the Arab states by Soviet Russia and France. Senator Dirksen also read the newsmen a statement by the Republican Senate leadership congratulating Israel on the 20th anniversary of its independence.
Senator Dirksen charged that the Administration “still has no firm policy” in the Middle East and warned that unless a firm, clear policy is soon declared, “the Eastern Mediterranean potential for world war three will take frightening root.’ He said that he was aware of the Soviet build-up of Arab air power and the recent agreement by France to supply Iraq with the supersonic Mirage V jets. Barring an agreement with other nations to limit arms shipments to the Middle East, “the United States should be prepared to supply arms to friendly nations sufficient to maintain the balance of power and to serve as a deterrent to renewed open warfare.” the Republican leader declared. He said that no American should be “unaware of the fact that Russia has moved into the Middle East and Mediterranean with tremendous and increasing naval and diplomatic strength in the biggest Soviet power grab since World War II.” The statement was endorsed by House Republican leader Gerald Ford of Michigan, who attended the press conference.
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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.
