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Big Powers Will Revise Their Policy on Arms Shipments to Israel and Arab Countries

July 21, 1950
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The three-power arrangement for arms shipments to Israel and the Arab states will be reviewed in the light of the Korean war, it was learned here today. Government officials hinted that Israel and various Arab states will be offered arms aid in line with increased American offorts to contain Communism and strengthen areas vital to the security of the free world.

Review of the present Middle Eastern arms accord will probably occur at London on July 25 when delegates of Atlantic Pact nations meet. All previous arms arrangements will be reviewed, it was learned here, in an effort to rally the maximum potential strength for containment of Communism. It appeared here today that if Israel or any Arab states refuse to identify themselves with anti-Communist nations, further Western arms shipments to the state or states in question will be doubtful.

The immediacy of the Communist threat to the Middle East is considered greater, and arms shipments have been stepped up to Iran. If Israel would agree to accept anti-Communist arms, a determination would then be made on the basis of global requirements to arrive at the amount and types of munitions to be shipped.

The status of shipments to the Middle East under the Three Power accord will be re-examined in the light of the reactions of Israel, Egypt, and other Arab states to United Nations action on Korea. It has also been indicated here that while tempers in the Middle East are still too hot for a Middle Eastern pact in which Jews and Arabs would cooperate, individual arrangements might be worked out between the western democracies and the various Middle Eastern states.

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