In the wake of Arab opposition to the Johnston Plan for regional water cooperation, State Department sources expressed concern this week-end lest Israel resume work on the Bnot Yaacov development project. These sources fear that a resumption of work by Israel, even in Israel territory, may start a war.
Israel ceased work at Bnot Yaacov when Syria brought about United Nations intercession highlighted by a temporary American suspension of economic aid as a punitive measure against Israel. An Israel spokesman said recently that Israel could not wait indefinitely for Arab agreement to the Johnston plan. Reports from Cairo described the plan, conceived as a formula for peace, as on the verge of collapse because of Arab hostility.
Meanwhile, the flow of Communist arms to Egypt is seen by State Department leaders as indicative of much greater danger than a new Jordan River incident. Sec. Dulles is known to view the Communist-Egyptian deal as one of the most dangerous world events since World War II.
George V. Allen, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, indicated in an address here this week that the likelihood of an Egyptian attack on Israel is increased by current developments. Department officials previously held that no danger existed of an Arab invasion of Israel.
Despite Israel’s admitted jeopardy, State Department circles indicated this week-end that they do not expect the State Department to take immediate action to aid Israel by redressing the imbalance in military power. Nor will the State Department grant a security pact to Israel outside the framework of Arab agreement to Israel’s boundaries, as outlined by Dulles in his August 26 speech. In that speech, Mr. Dulles conditioned a security pact to prior Arab-Israel agreement on frontiers. An Administration spokesman said last week that the Dulles proposals achieved “added urgency” in the light of recent events.
While there is grave concern in the State Department that harm may come to Israel from Egypt’s new weapons, the main consideration today is an American attempt to counter Soviet strategy by an American policy aimed at regaining the favor of Egypt and the other states of the Arab League.
Circles in the State Department hold the belief that the Arab world would be further alienated from the West if a move on behalf of Israel were made at this point. Israel is being reassured that American may make arms available at some future time. But Israelis remember similar assurances regarding a security pact for Israel which came to naught.
Secretary Dulles reportedly told the National Security Council last week that Israel is stronger than all the Arab states combined. In his view there would be time to take action when and if the Department is convinced the balance of power has definitely shifted. State Department circles have reminded individuals of Israel’s reprisal raids and cited past claims by Zionist spokesmen that Israel, excepting Turkey, is the strongest state in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, it was reported here that the Egyptians had already deposited with Czechoslovakia 1,000,000 pounds toward the delivery of weapons. A State Department official, however, said that the United States had not received any reports that Czechoslovakian arms had already been delivered to Egypt. This comment was made in response to questions about published report that the first delivery had already been made.
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