Israel Not “panicky” over U.S. Arming of Arabs, Says Golda Myerson

The people of Israel “although anxious and worried” over the Western policy of rearming the Arab states, are not “panicky” and are determined not to permit it to interfere with the work of building their country, Mrs. Golda Myerson, Israel Minister of Labor, asserted here tonight.

In her first address since her arrival here several days ago, Mrs. Myerson expressed “sorrow and disappointment” that arms are being sent to the Arabs “while they still threaten the very existence of Israel.” She spoke at a dinner attended by 500 persons launching a labor-management campaign in the Greater New York food industry to raise $1, 000,000 through State of Israel Bonds for the economic development of Israel.

The Israel Labor Minister pointed out that the people of Israel have the “utmost confidence” in their armed forces. “The Israel Defense Army is efficient, devoted, fearless and highly trained, ” she said. She emphasized that the investment capital provided through the purchase of bonds in the United States had enabled Israel to make vast economic gains vital to the young nation’s security.

“The men and women of Israel realize that by developing their country they are not only becoming strong economically, but also stronger defensively,” Mrs. Myerson said, adding that in the short space of time since she had visited the United States last, vast gains had been made in the solution of Israel’s economic problems.

“Our currency has become more stabilized; our greatest enemy – inflation – has practically been conquered; our exports are growing and our imports of consumer goods are shrinking rapidly,” Mrs. Myerson reported. Our newly established agricultural settlements are flooding the country with fruits and vegetables and are exporting some of them. Factories in basic industries are producing for the home as well as for export.”