Israel is not asking the United States for public assurances of support against a possible Arab attack “at this moment,” an Israel Foreign Ministry spokesman declared here. He was commenting on reports that Ambassador Abba Eban had asked Secretary of State Dulles to make a public statement assuring Israel of aid in the event of an Arab attack, particularly one launched from Syria.
The spokesman said that Israel had “certainly noted with satisfaction” a statement by Vice President Nixon on television indicating American support in the event Israel was a victim of aggression. He added that it would “depend on the circumstances” whether Israel would consider that statement sufficient.
The spokesman declined to say whether Mr. Ebanhad received private, but specific assurances from Mr. Dulles at their meeting last week. Asked to comment on Mr. Dulles’ remarks that the U.S. did not see Syria as yet dominated by world Communism, the Israeli spokesman said: “We are pretty well convinced that Syria is today a Communist-dominated country.”
He denied that the Foreign Ministry had received any Syrian ultimatum demanding that the Huleh drainage project be halted, nor would he say whether the swamp reclamation work continued. Cairo radio alleged this week-end that Syria had sent such an ultimatum through the United Nations.
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