Israel Watches Washington’s Attitude Toward the Lebanese Crisis

Washington’s attitude toward the Lebanese crisis is being watched with deep interest by political circles in Israel.

These circles have been speculating on the reasons behind the Eisenhower Administration’s reluctant facing up to the situation, obviously slower than Washington’s dispatch of the Sixth Fleet to Middle Eastern waters when Nasser-controlled elements in Jordan attempted to topple King Hussein from his throne. The view here is that there is more justification in current developments for application of the Eisenhower Doctrine than there was in the Jordanian situation.

Meanwhile, the Beirut radio, which is usually milder in its tone toward Israel, suddenly programed material for a “Palestine Week” and began violent attacks on the Jewish State. This appears to be the standard reaction of Arab politics in which each group attempts to outdo its opposition in belligerence toward Israel.