Israel was warned here today by Gen. Moshe Dayan, chief of staff of its defense forces during the 1956-57 Sinai war against Egypt, that it must not rely on intervention by the world’s major powers to influence Arab leaders against an attack on Israel. He made the statement in an address to the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce in New York. He said it was neither desirable nor probable that any of the Big Powers would seek to exert pressure on the Arabs to recognize Israel’s rights.
Asserting that, since he was not now a member of the Israel Government, he felt free to express his views on Israel’s security problems, the former chief of staff said: “We have to settle our conflict with the Arabs by ourselves. I would not want any outside country to do it for us.”
Voicing concern over the recent decision by the United States and other Western governments to supply massive arms shipments to a number of Arab states, Mr. Dayan said that only the firm conviction of most of the Arab leaders that they could not now defeat Israel in an armed conflict has prevented their launching an attack.
If these leaders were now to feel that they are strong enough to attack Israel with their newly-acquired armaments, he declared, they would not hesitate to do so even if their assessment of their own strength is wrong. He noted that Israel was handicapped in any future conflict with the Arabs in that any victory would not bring peace closer, while even a temporary victory by the Arabs could destroy Israel.
He voiced optimism about the prospects for a Middle East peace, however, noting that every continued year without hostilities brought the Arab nations closer to the point when they would finally recognize Israel’s right to existence.
Noting that most of the Arab leaders who opposed Israel’s independence 13 years ago were now dead, Mr. Dayan said he was looking forward to the time when the new Arab leaders will not have any personal feelings of hostility toward Israel, and could come to terms with recognition of the Jewish state.
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