The Arab-Israel problem was discussed by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles with Senate leaders in three separate meetings this week-end, it was revealed here today, while George V. Allen, Assistant Secretary of State disclosed that Egypt has received from Communist countries 200 jet fighters, a number of submarines and large quantities of other arms.
Secretary Dulles met separately on the Arab-Israel situation and other foreign affairs with Sen. William F. Knowland, Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Walter F. George, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. H. Alexander Smith, a ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee.–Mr. Allen made his disclosure in the course of his appearance today on a television program.
Mr. Allen stated that no decision had been made on Israel’s arms-request and that “the key consideration” in the arms decision is the case now pending against Israel before the United Nations Security Council. He said the whole question of the level of arms in the Middle East takes the deepest study. The question will depend on relative strength of the two sides, but added it was not realistic for a nation the size of Israel to have armaments matching the armies of the 40,000,000 Arabs.
He stressed the “imperative” need of an Arab-Israel settlement and said it was the primary problem of the Middle East. Asked what the U.S. could do to bring about Israel-Arab peace, he replied that the U.S. should try to conduct foreign relations in as responsible a manner as possible. The U.S., he stated, cannot be one sided. He added that the U.S. will be favorably disposed to the side trying to save peace and “unhappy” with the side that causes war. He stressed that he now feels neither side really wants war.
The question of U.S. arms sales to Israel was discussed this week-end by Gordon Grey, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Problems, with a delegation representing the Jewish War Veterans. The delegation included JWV national commander Reuben Kaminsky, Rear Admiral Solomon Isquith, Ret., and Colonel Harry D. Henschel, Ret. It sought to determine if American munitions sales to Israel were compatible with American defense aims.
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