Israel’s Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett, upon his arrival in the United States today, said that he had not fully studied the statement made last night by President Eisenhower on the Middle East situation, but that he had noted the President’s reference to supplying American arms for legitimate self-defense.
“This is exactly the purpose of Israel’s arms request,” he declared. He added that Israel’s list of requested armaments from the United States would be submitted to the government in Washington through regular channels.
Speaking before more than 300 newsmen, Mr. Sharett emphasized that he was “disconcerted” by some of the remarks made in London yesterday by British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden. He pointed out that if the British Prime Minister envisages an Arab-Israel mediation plan that involved cession of territory on Israel’s part, then he is in for a “disappointment.” “Israel is under no political or moral compulsion to cede territory,” he stressed.
The Israel Foreign Minister said that the chief purpose of his present visit to this country was to assist the fund-raising efforts of the Israel bond drive and the United Jewish Appeal, “both of which are responsible in so decisive a measure for Israel’s economic progress.” Mr. Sharett asserted that “the need for expanding and strengthening Israel’s economy is now more urgent than ever.”
“My visit,” he declared, “occurs at an hour of supreme emergency into which Israel was suddenly plunged by the deal concluded by Egypt with Czechoslovakia, under the sponsorship of the Soviet Union, for the acquisition of large quantities of heavy armaments of a most pronouncedly offensive nature.” He added that “the problem of security remains Israel’s paramount concern. Our need for additional defense weapons is most compelling and we hope the United States Government will respond to our appeal in this regard.”
Asked whether he saw danger of war in the Middle East, Mr. Sharett said: “The war danger is inherent in the very sharp upsetting in balance of strength by arming our neighbor and enemy–an enemy, I might add, by his own choice. This deal is liable to create an overwhelming superiority in armed strength in Egypt’s favor and is pregnant with dangers.”
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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.
