Israel Ambassador Abba Eban has stressed Israel’s need for military equipment in conferences during the past two days with the British and French Ambassadors and U.S. officials in connection with current tripartite talks on Middle East security, it was learned here today.
The Ambassador emphasized the absolute priority of arms for Israel as the only sure method of averting aggression. He is understood to have pointed out that even if Israel had the surest guarantees of external intervention, its prospect of withstanding a sudden assault would depend mostly or entirely on its defenses, especially from air attack.
In the total absence of such guarantees this dependence on arms is irreplaceable, Israel circles said the Ambassador pointed out. Mr. Eban is believed to have warned all three participants that there is in any case no way of establishing a legally sound prospect of international intervention to resist aggression except by duly established treaty or treaties.
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.
