The charge that the United States is “throwing the entire Middle East into a rearmament competition” by selling arms to Egypt was made here today by Eliezer Liebenstein, member of the Israel Parliament and one of the leaders of the Mapai party, in an address before the Institute on Israel and the Middle East sponsored by The Dropsie College.
Declaring that “Israel will regard every acquisition of arms by Egypt as a threat to itself,” Mr. Liebenstein said: “The United States, by supporting the sale of arms to Egypt, has taken upon itself a grave responsibility. Unless it can influence Egypt to make an early peace with Israel it is throwing the entire East in a rearmament competition, instead of helping to create an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual help.
“There can be no common security in the Middle East and no sensible planned defense of the Arab region as long as there is no peace settlement between Egypt and Israel,” Mr. Lisbenstain continued. “Unless and until peace is concluded Israel will regard every acquisition of arms by Egypt as a threat to itself, and will be compelled to rearm, diverting funds from constructive to military purposes.”
There is a basis for the settlement of the Israel-Egyptian controversy through “the restoration of previous frontiers, as they existed under the British Mandate and indeed throughout history,” he asserted, adding that the “Middle Eastern policy of Israel, that of friendship, is part of its general Asiatic orientation.”
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