Israel Envoy to Meet Today with State Dept. on Navy’s Discrimination

Israel Ambassador Avraham Harman will meet tomorrow with Assistant Secretary of State G. L. Jones to discuss the instructions by the U. S. Navy aiding the Arab blockade against Israel.

(Foreign Ministry circles in Jerusalem indicated today that a formal protest is likely to be filed by the Israel Government against the U. S. Navy’s acquiescence to the Arab anti-Israel boycott. The disclosure of the Navy’s discriminating policy against Israel was reported to have caused “shock and consternation” in Israel.)

In a meeting today with Assistant Secretary of State Jones, Rabbi Philip S. Bernstein, chairman of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, urged the U. S. Government to take immediate action to end discriminatory practices in ship contracting by the U. S. Navy Department. “It is difficult to fight the blockade if our Government cooperates with it,” he said.

The Rabbi termed the World Bank loan to the United Arab Republic a “mistake.” But since the United States approved the loan, he said there was “an obligation on the part of our Government to make strong representations in Cairo to halt the illegitimate blockade.” He pointed out that UN Secretary General Hammarskjold met with President Nasser in Cairo last week and was again unsuccessful in persuading the UAR to lift its blockade.”

Senator Kenneth Keating, New York Republican, today told the Senate the U. S. Government had “a very strong obligation to bring every possible pressure to bear on the United Nations and Mr. Hammarskjold” that they insist that the United Arab Republic fulfill commitments regarding free access to the Suez Canal.

The Senator voiced hope in a Senate speech that the “most extreme” approach will be made to induce Nasser to stop flouting international law in the Suez issue. Sen. Keating termed the World Bank loan to Nasser to expand the canal “a great mistake.”