National Commander Morton London of the Jewish War Veterans of the U. S. A. today asked the Department of State, in the light of developments in India and Cuba, to facilitate Israel’s acquisition of Hawk anti-aircraft missiles by permitting Israel to pay in local currency–Israeli pounds–Just as India has now been permitted to pay for arms in rupees.
Mr. London, who returned last month from Israel, cited the menace to Israel by the continuing flow of Soviet Jet bombers and missiles to three Arab states surrounding Israel, the United Arab; Republic, Syria, and Iraq. “The United States,” he said, “cannot expect Israel to be less apprehensive about a Soviet Jet and missile build-up on her borders than our own nation is about the aggressive Soviet weapons provided to Fidel Castro.”
“It is incredible to expect tiny Israel to defend herself against the world Communist onslaught, as manifested by the Soviet offensive weapons now poised on her borders, without a more realistic approach to financing Israel’s purchase of such a sophisticated defensive weapons system as the Hawk,” the JWV leader wrote to the Secretary of State.
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