Sources close to the State Department today revealed that Israel has been receiving American wespons since the United Nations lifted the Middle East arms embergo last August. American tanks have already been delivered at Haifa, they said.
This information was disclosed in connection with a reported appeal by the Israel Government to the United States and Britain to supply arms and military equipment to the Jewish state in view of the shipment of arms by Britain to the Arab countries.
Israel Ambassador Eliahu Elath today conferred for 75 minutes with Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Raymond Hare. He said later that they discussed how the news that Israel requested arms from the United States “leaked” to the press yesterday. He declined to make any further statements on the reported plea, declaring that he would have to wait for instructions from Tel Aviv.
(Israel sources in Tel Aviv today pointed out that “in view of the continued rearmament of the Arab states and the continuation of arms supplies to them, there should be little astonishment if Israel applies wherever it can to obtain arms needed for defense.”)
A spokesman for the State Department today said that more American arms have been supplied to Israel than to any Arab state since the lifting of the arms embargo on the Near East. He added that State Department officials are now drafting a reply to Israel’s request for additional American munitions.
Diplomatic circles here expressed the belief that Israel is seeking permission to buy U.S. jet-propelled military aircraft, light naval vessels and other items to offset the British shipments of the most modern types of weapons to Egypt and other Arab states.
Meanwhile, David Horowitz, director-general of the Israel Finance Ministry, arrived in Washington today from London where he negotiated the release of Israel’s sterling balances blocked in England. He is scheduled to confer tomorrow with Acing Secretary Hars, Ambassador Elath revealed.
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