Five Arab states which regard themselves as being on the “front line” in the struggle with Israel, ended a three-day war council in Cairo today. The final communique blasted Israel and the United States as the “chief supporter” of Israeli “aggression.” It claimed that the Arab nations had both the will and the ability to absorb further Israeli blows and ultimately to “liberate the usurped Arab lands.” Observers here said that considering the source, the final communique was “milder” than might have been expected. The conference, which was called to coordinate the military and political strategy of the Arab states against Israel, was hosted by President Gamal Abdel Nasser, of Egypt. Attending were President Noureddin Al-Atassi, of Syria, King Hussein, of Jordan, Vice Premier Salah Mahdi, of Iraq and Maj. Gen. Jaafar El-Numeiry, of Sudan. The Foreign Ministers and Defense Ministers of the five countries also participated.
The communique issued today appeared to be motivated in large measure by bitterness against the United States. The Arabs consider it a virtual certainty that President Richard M. Nixon will supply Israel with the additional Phantom jets, Sky hawks and other weapons Israel has requested. The communique observed that the meeting was held “at a time when the United States is taking a new aggressive position against the Arab nations and its real ties with Israel’s plans to escalate the conflict have been uncovered…Israel would not have persisted in its aggression but for constant U.S. support and the weapons and air craft obtained from the U.S.A.,” the communique said.
The communique made no reference to accelerated Soviet arms supplies for Egypt. But President Nasser is believed to have assured the conference that Moscow has promised to provide virtually all Arab military needs. The Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda accused the United States yesterday of obstructing the Four Power talks on the Mideast. Diplomatic sources here said today that the Soviet Union has decided against sending Russian pilots to bolster Egypt’s air force. President Nasser said on an American television interview yesterday that Israel maintained aerial supremacy because of Egypt’s lack of trained pilots, not of planes. But Moscow apparently does not want to risk direct involvement in the Middle East combat, the sources here said.
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.
