Knesset Convenes Today to Hear Statement on Arab-communist Deal

The Knesset will convene here tomorrow in a special session to consider the political situation in the light of the recently announced Czech Egyptian arms deal. The session was convened on the petition of the General Zionists and Herut.

It is expected that Prime Minister Moshe Sharett will use tomorrow’s session as a forum for the clarification of the Government’s views by making a Cabinet-approved statement. It is considered most likely by observers here that a general debate on Mr. Sharett’s statement will not take place before next week, or that it will be referred to the Knesset’s foreign affairs committee.

Meanwhile, United States Ambassador Edward B. Lawson visited the Prime Minister today. Their discussion was primarily concerned with the effects of the Communist sale of arms to Egypt. Ambassador Lawson returned on Sunday from a meeting of American diplomatic representatives in the Middle East, held at Beirut, Lebanon. The meeting was addressed by Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs George V. Allen, who had flown to Beirut after his talks with Egyptian Premier Gamal Abdel Nasser in Cairo.

Congressman J. Rooney of New York, a member of a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, declared today before he left Israel that he will communicate with Secretary of State John Foster Dulles to impress on him his view that swift steps must be taken to prevent an Arab-Israel arms race “which would undo all the good that has been done in the Middle East.” Rep. Rooney said: “I believe that the American people will not countenance a situation in which economic aid to Egypt will, in fact, enable that country to purchase arms from the Soviet bloc, with all that that implies for peace in this area.”