Israel Seeks U.S. Military Aid; Anxious to Consolidate Its Loans in U.S.

When Israel Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett was in Washington conferring with Administration leaders, he attempted to obtain approval for a fiscal program which would have consolidated Israel’s short term loans into one long term loan, he told a press conference here today. So far, he added, he has received no reply.

Reporting on his two-month tour of the United States and Canada, the Minister said that he had also asked for military aid, but had not received a reply on that point either. Mr. Sharett stressed that Israel had also requested military aid from other countries, and would continue to ask such assistance from all countries.

Speaking of the attitude of American and Canadian Jews, he declared: “I never before realized the vast love and interest for Israel with which Canadian and American Jews are vested.” He also emphasized the need for coordination of the United Jewish Appeal and Israel Bond drives in the U.S.

Commenting on the forthcoming elections, the Foreign Minister expressed the hope that whoever is elected President will continue the present foreign policy of the U.S., including foreign aid grants, unchanged. Asked what he thought were the chances for a war, he expressed the opinion that prospects for peace were better this year than last. He drew a parallel between Israel-Arab relations and East-West relations, insisting that the Arabs expect Israel to collapse from internal economic pressure and the East expects the same on the part of the Western powers.

Referring to recent hostile statements by Arab leaders abroad, he stressed the need for the Israel Army to be prepared, although he also expresed the opinion that the Arabs were not ready for another war with Israel. In a comment on the reparations negotiations between Israel and Germany and the Jewish Claims Conference and Germany at The Hague, he said that Israel and the Conference would sign simultaneous agreements or none at all.