Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Khrushchev Attacks Israel’s Water Plan in Speech in Egyptian Assembly

May 12, 1964
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev today sharply attacked Israel’s plans to bring waters of the Jordan River to the Negev for irrigation purposes. He gave his support of the Arab stand in the dispute, it was reported here today from Cairo.

Addressing the Egyptian National Assembly during his current visit to that country, Premier Khrushchev said that the Soviet Union supports the “just causes” of the Arab nations which regard the Israeli plan as a hostile act. “The Israeli project transgresses upon the rights of the Arabs to use these waters, ” Khrushchev declared, adding that Israel planned to “rob the Arab world of its own water.”

The Assembly’s 360 delegates jumped to their feet cheering as Khrushchev berated the Israeli project and they gave him another ovation when he promised to continue Soviet arms shipments to Arab nations “for the protection of gains wrested by free men from imperialism–but not for aggression against anybody. “

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement