Israel Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett, in a scathing attack on Soviet Communist Party chief Nikita Khruschev, said last night that Mr. Khruschev’s-labelling Israel an aggressor in the Middle East had “imposed an additional heavy strain on relations with the Soviet Government.”
Taking the Communist Party leader to task for his remarks at the Supreme Soviet in Moscow that Israel and “imperialists behind Israel” were threatening Arab nations independence, Mr. Sharett declared in the Israel Parliament that the Khruschev declaration had “aroused not only deep regret, grievous offense and bitter ridicule in Israel but amazement and revulsion in the hearts of lovers of truth throughout the world.”
Our demand for arms first and foremost, the Foreign Minister continued, “makes others think twice before attacking Israel. We absolutely reject allegations that arms for Israel means an arms race in the Middle East–there is no moral basis for such allegations.” He also reported briefly on his conversations with Soviet Foreign Minister V.M. Molotov in Geneva and said that Mr. Molotov’s replies to his requests for assurances that arms would not be funneled to the Arab states had “not satisfied” him.
SAY ISRAEL WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK DEFENSIVE ARMS IN U.S.
Mr. Sharett placed on the record the American public’s sympathy for Israel’s cause and its “lively awareness of our problems.” Relating his impressions of the attitude of the public and governmental leaders obtained during his recent visit to the United States, he said there was no reason to fear American pressure on Israel to give up the port of Eilath, at the head of the Gulf of Akaba, but there might be continued pressure for other territorial concessions by Israel. Of Israel’s arms request to the U.S., he said the reply had been delayed and that Israel would renew its efforts to obtain defensive weapons from Washington.
Together with Israel’s demand for defensive arms, Mr. Sharett went on, “we must intensify our opposition to the arming of the Arab countries which, in blind hostility, refuse to make peace.” He voiced “warnings” against further arming of the Arabs and against attempting to force Jordan into the Bagdad Pact and denounced the shipment of British arms to Egypt.
Israel’s opposition to the arming of the Arabs did not constitute provocation, Mr. Sharett said. He warned that Israel stands ready to beat off any hostile campaign against it. However, he stressed that while the Jewish State was arming itself for defense, it would still make every effort for peace; although “we will not buy peace at the price of concessions that sap our ability to live and encourage further encroachment and destructive scheming against as.”
He reported serious discussion in Washington with U. Government leaders on the problem of peace in the Middle East, as well as a discussion with the British. He rejected Prime Minister Eden as a mediator in the Middle East, noting that the British leader had disqualified himself because of his attempt to “fix in advance the nature of the settlement.” Mr. Sharett did admit the necessity for concessions, but insisted they must be mutual.
ISRAEL TO REJECT U.S. DEMANDS FOR TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS
He said that in Washington there had been discussion of the southern Negev and that we stated unambiguously” that there could be no question of Israel renouncing any part of its territory and that it was “inconceivable” that Israel surrender Eilath or unbroken access to the port. While there is no reason to believe that the U.S. will pressure further on the Eilath question, he said, it is likely Israel will be asked to make other territorial concessions. “We are determined to reject them all,” he concluded.
Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, who spoke before Mr. Sharett, told the Knesset that “there is only one certain method to prevent war in the Middle East–a speedy supply of defensive arms to Israel.” He said Israel demands and has the right to arms equal to those received by Egypt.
Mr. Ben Gurion declared that the Czech-Egyptian arms deal had transformed the Middle East situation in the “gravest and most dangerous manner. The character and political objectives of the deal were clarified in a most explicit and unreserved manner by Khruschev,” he said in a reference to the Soviet leader’s attack on Israel last week. He drew the attention of the deputies, Israel public opinion and the world to the “terrible danger” of the arms deal.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
