Fifteen Congressmen Demand U.S. Arms and Security Pact for Israel

Fifteen Congressmen from New York State today demanded that the United States provide arms and conclude a security pact with Israel. The Congressmen also urged a reappraisal of the U.S. policy in the Middle East.

The representatives “earnestly” demanded that in order to dissipate the imbalance of power created by Egypt’s acceptance of Communist arms “there be expeditiously sent to Israel jets, tanks and fighter planes, equivalent in number and power to those received by Egypt from the Reds.” The Congressmen indicated that if Israel cannot pay cash credit should be provided.

The Congressmen also urged that negotiations begin to establish a security pact with Israel guaranteeing the integrity of Israel and Arab borders. “This will be a warning to Egypt that the U.S. stands behind Israel and will not tolerate any violation of her sovereignty,” they said. They emphasized that both requirements are consistent with the Tripartite Declaration of 1950.

In urging a reappraisal of U.S. policy vis-a-vis Israel and Egypt, the New York Representatives reviewed Egypt’s past and present actions and their threat to Israel. “Israel faces a dangerous crisis as a result of the shipment, by Czechoslovakia and Russia to Egypt of heavy arms in exchange for cotton and rice. Egypt is to receive large quantities of MIG jets Stalin tanks, fighter planes, torpedo boats and heavy artillery. This is a serious threat to the balance of power and a disturbance of peace in the Middle East. We, the undersigned member of the House of Representatives, view such an imbalance of arms with misgiving if not alarm,” they said in a statement.

The New York Congressmen supporting the statement were: Victor L. Anfuso, Charles A. Buckley, Emanuel Celler, Irwin D. Davidson, James J. Delaney, Isidor Dollinger, Sidney A. Fine, Lester Holtzman, Edna F. Kelly, Eugene J. Keogh, Arthur G. Klein, Abraham J. Multer, Adam C. Powell, Jr., John J. Rooney, and Herbert Zelenko.