Israel Submits Request for New Grant-in-aid to U.S. Government

Israel has submitted to the United States its requirements for assistance during the fiscal year 1953. This was made known during the week-end following a visit by Israel’s Ambassador Abba Eban to the State Department for a discussion with Undersecretary of State James E. Webb which followed up the meeting of Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett in Paris with Secretary of State Dean Acheson.

Mr. Eban said after talking with Mr. Webb that arrangements for an American foreign aid program for the fiscal year of 1953 are already under study and that “our views on what our needs might be have been conveyed to the United States.” He emphasized that a “one-year injection” would not heal Israel’s economic illness. The second installment of aid, he said, would coincide with the second year of Israel’s three-year recovery program.

The Israel Ambassador said he had nothing to add on the topic of the Middle East Command but repeated to Mr. Webb the gist of Mr. Sharett’s discussion with Secretary Acheson.

In addition to the discussion of economic aid and the Middle East Command, Mr. Eban talked with Mr. Webb about Israel’s claim for compensation from Germany. The Israel Ambassador expressed the hope that whatever the attitude of the German Federal Government at Bonn might be, Israel hopes that the occupying powers will take an interest in the matter. Mr. Eban said the occupying powers were “trustees of civilized conscience” and cannot fail to have a clear view on such a vast moral and political problem. He added that the statement on compensation by German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer did not disengage the Allied powers from responsibility.