State Department Urged to Take “affirmative Action” to Halt Arms Shipments to Arabs

“Affirmative action” by the State Department to stop the Near Eastern arms race which is developing because of British arms shipments to Arab countries was demanded today by Rep. Jacob K. Javits, of New York, in a letter to Secretary of State Dean Acheson.

Such action, he said, is needed “if peace and security are to be maintained in the Near East and armed aggressive action in Palestine discouraged.” He severely criticized the Secretary of State for defending the British policy of shipping arms to the Arab states. (See page 2 for Israel’s raaction to Mr. Acheson’s stand.)

Rep. Javits’ letter to the Secretary of State is an answer to Mr. Acheson’s message to the New York Congressman on Jan. 12. The Secretary then said it was “desirable” for the Arabs to get arms for “security” purposes but the U.S. would act to prevent hostilities when and if information is received indicating an immediate resumption of hostilities.

In his reply today, Rep. Javits said: “It seems to me highly dangerous to assume under these circumstances, and considering the explosive situation which we know to exist in the Near East, that our State Department will time it just to the minute in getting advance information of any danger of a renewal of an Arab-Israel conflict; while it stands silent at a time when arms and military aircraft, including jets (the shipment of which is implicitly confirmed by your letter of Jan. 12) enter into the Arab countries which are expressing the most belligerent intentions toward Israel.”

Rep. Javits added that “the whole temper in the Near Eastern states, the refusal to enter into peace negotiations and the domestic political situations directly attributable to the aftermath of the Arab-Israel conflict underlines that the danger which is the imminent one is the importation of arms in the Near East for a renewed assault by the Arab states against Israel.”