Egyptian dictator Mohammed Naguib, in an interview released here today by U.S. and World Report, described his negotiations with the State Department for military aid and branded Zionist of aggression as “just Israeli propaganda.”
Gen. Naguib declined to give details of the amount or nature of the munitions he is seeking, but indicated that Egypt is looking to the United States with anticipation of closer economic and military bonds. Told that “some people in the United States are afraid that if military aid is give Egypt, you will attack Israel.” Gen. Naguib replied:
“We are now doing better without war, by blockading Israel. It has the same effect as war, Shy should I endanger my country and open it to air raids by launching war? I would lose the confidence of all the big nations. They would consider me aggressive.
“All this talk,” Gen. Naguib said, “is just Israeli propaganda. I don’t think they will attack us. They know we are not thinking of attacking them. We have enough means of pressure and do not think of foolish things like that. I have fortunately gained the confidence of nearly all the nations. Our movement is being regarded with sympathy and we are beginning to feel the results in financial help and so on. It is not easy to lose all this by committing a folly, the end of which cannot be known to anyone.”
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