A severe attack on Israel, containing charges that Prime Minister Ben-Gurion keeps on saying that “Israel will remain secure as long as the Israeli Army carries out the task of frightening its neighbors with its strength,” is published in the Red Star, official organ of the Red Army in the Soviet Union, which reached here today.
“It is necessary to point out,” the paper writes, “that calls for war have become a routine and daily pursuit of Israeli Zionists. The question of the revival of militarism in the country and the farming of military hysteria dominate all Israeli ruling quarters.
“Military expenditure in Israel has reached a record figure, comprising one-third of the state budget,” the article continues. “Nevertheless, this sum, in their opinion, appears to be insufficient. For this reason the Israeli Government imposed additional new taxes on the populace last August. Israeli papers pointed out in this connection that the government is seeking by this means additional sums estimated at 10 million dollars for the purchase of arms.
“In addition, the Israeli Government is doing its utmost to develop the war industry which enjoys various concessions. The production of war material in the country has reached a very high level–so much so that arrangements have been made for arms exports to other countries. Arms exported by Israel go chiefly to NATO countries which in turn meet the needs of the Israeli war industry. It is known, for instance, that besides exporting Israeli arms to NATO countries, Israel has been granted the right to submit bids for the supply of goods to the armies of this organization.
“In the light of these facts, the object of the statements made by Israeli statesmen becomes very clear. They believe that the guarantee of peace is not through disarmament or the realization of peaceful coexistence, but through nuclear armament and the continuation of the cold war. This is a natural consequence of the policy of Israeli ruling quarters, which are trying to develop the country along the road of militarism and preparations for aggression against the Arab countries,” the article concludes.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
