The United States decision to grant arms to Iraq can only have the effect of worsening the Middle East tension and of “placing a premium on opposition to peace,” Premier Moshe Sharett told newsmen today. He also noted that an Israeli request for U.S. military aid had not been granted, although it was based on “simple security needs and on considerations of regional responsibility.”
The Foreign Ministry issued a statement last night declaring: “The Government of Israel regards the decision to grant arms to Iraq as prejudicial to the prospects of peace in the Middle East. These arms are unlikely to contribute in any material way to the declared purpose for which they are intended, but they are bound to endanger Israel’s security.
“The Government of Israel expresses its regret that the United States Government has taken a step which can be interpreted only as placing a premium on enmity and encouraging instability, ” the statement concluded.
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