Israel’s formal application for eligibility for military aid under the Mutual Security Act. which was presented to the State Department last winter, has not yet received a definite response, it was learned here today. It was also learned that certain unidentified Middle Eastern Arab states have similarly filed applications for eligibility to receive American military aid under the Mutual Security Act.
Because of long delayed plans for the formation of a Middle Eastern Defense Command–plans which have not yet materialized–the State Department has delayed action on the applications. Little progress has been made toward persuading Egypt and other Arab states to participate in a Middle Eastern defensive arrangement. Some Israelis feel that the plan, as envisioned, is impractical and that meanwhile, in any case, military assistance should not be withheld from a democracy known for its resistance against aggression.
New interest in Middle Eastern defense was raised in Washington by the recent upheavals in Egypt and Iran. The newly-enacted Mutual Security Act provides approximately $50,000,000 earmarked for munitions for Israel and the Arab states for distribution at the discretion of the American Government. It is from this sum that Israel hopes to draw in the event of favorable action on her eligibility.
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