A House Foreign Affairs study mission composed of six Congressmen who visited the Near East late last year, submitted a report which opposed supplying either the Arabs or Israel with arms, but said that unless a settlement is achieved, it may be “advisable or necessary” for the United States to provide Israel with arms.
In its formal report to Congress, the mission expressed a view “that our government cannot allow Israel to fall any more than it could support Israel in any act of aggression.” The group added: “Likewise, our government cannot allow the Arab countries to gain such superiority in Communist-obtained arms-that they might be tempted to start an aggressive war against Israel.” The mission was headed by Rep. Clement J. Zablocki, Wisconsin Democrat.
The Congressmen blamed Israel for “provocative military actions” carried on to the extent it that the Arabs “felt forced to seek arms even from the Soviet bloc.” A recommendation was made by the Congressmen that the United States seriously consider severing financial support of Palestinian Arab refugees. They said these refugees not only do not feel “a modicum of gratitude” for American help but actually blame the United States for their plight.
The mission said the West must apply its highest diplomacy to bring about Arab-Israel settlement or risk World War III. A conclusion was made that no easy solution was available and that Soviet intrigue in the region immensely complicated the problem.
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.
