Eban to Seek Clarification from Dulles on U.S. Plan to Arm Arabs

Israel Ambassador Abba Eban will call on Secretary of State John Foster Dulles to discuss American policy regarding the proposed arms aid for Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the implementation of Article XII of the Israel-Jordan armistice agreement which provides for direct Israel-Jordan talks, and related issues, it was learned here today.

The conference between Mr. Dulles and Mr. Eban will take place before the Secretary of State leaves for Berlin to participate in the Big Powers conference which will open there at the end of this month. Mr. Dulles may be asked by Mr. Eban to clarify American views with respect to the armistice agreements and their enforcement, as well as the U. N. Security Council decisions, like the resolutions demanding that Egypt remove its restrictions on the flow of commerce through the Suez Canal.

Israel circles have noted growing Arab hostility and there is concern lest U.S. munitions shipments encourage Arab intransigeance. A tendency on the part of the Arabs to repudiate and ignore even existing general armistice agreements has been noted. The King of Saudi Arabia, one of the countries mentioned as a recipient of Americans arms aid, has threatened renewed hostilities against Israel. Israelis fear that shipment of arms to Arab League states at this juncture will be construed as an American endorsement of Arab belligerency against Israel.

It is recalled here that the record of Iraq, another state reportedly being considered for free arms, is even worse than other Arab League states because Iraq never even negotiated any armistice agreement.

Israel applied two years ago for military aid, the first country among the states of that area to do so. Since the United States has not yet seen fit to respond to Israel’s request, Israel finds it difficult to understand new arrangements which include free munitions for Iraq and Saudi Arabia.