The State Department is anxious to prevent Israel’s participation in the discussion of the Suez Canal issue at the United Nations Security Council, it was learned here today. The discussion is scheduled to start this Friday with Foreign Ministers from the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union attending Israel has applied to the Security Council for the right to speak in view of Egypt’s blockade of the Suez Canal against Israeli shipping.
The feeling at the State Department is that Israel’s entrance at this juncture into the conflict between the Western Powers and Egypt would confuse the basic issue and constitute a handicap for the West. The opinion is expressed in State Department circles that Israel should at this time rely on the Western Powers to safeguard her long-range Suez interest and should stay in the background.
It was indicated in U. S. official circles today that Israel should be content with the fact that both President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles last week voiced disapproval of Egypt’s blockade of the Suez Canal against Israel. Israel’s presentation at the Security Council of its own viewpoint, would bring all the Arab countries into the case on Egypt’s side and create a united front behind Col. Nasser, one American official asserted.
Israel Ambassador Abba Eban said during the week-end that he noted with satisfaction the statement by President Eisenhower in which the President expressed disapproval of Egypt’s anti-Israel Suez blockade. Mr. Eban made this comment after a meeting with Secretary Dulles. He revealed that the Suez blockade situation was discussed in the meeting with Dulles. Ambassador Eban had been scheduled to return to Israel for consultations this week, but may be delayed by the meeting of the Security Council.
President Eisenhower was the target of a bitter attack this week-end in the Egyptian Government newspaper “Al Gomhouria.” Referring to Mr. Eisenhower’s condemnation of Egypt’s Suez blockade against Israel shipping, the paper said it was the United States and not Egypt which had “dark spots” on its history. It asserted that Israel was “created” by American and Britain, and charged “Israel aggression is carried out by American weapons purchased with American dollars.”
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