United States authorities today unofficially revealed that Israel is pressing Canada for American-designed F-86 sabre jet interceptors being built in Canada. At the same time, they emphasized that absolutely no change has taken place in the status of Israel’s arms application in Washington.
It is up to Canada, Britain, France, or any other nation to decide for themselves whether they want to sell arms to Israel, the Washington officials declared. The State Department indicated some time earlier this month that it neither approved nor disapproved any decision France might reach on the sale of jet planes to Israel. This view was reiterated today with new emphasis placed on Secretary of State Dulles’ stated view that an Arab-Israel settlement lies in “means other than an arms race.”
(In Jerusalem, Israeli military authorities categorically denied today receiving any French jet planes. The denial was issued in connection with reports abroad that France started the delivery last week of 12. Mystery jet interceptor planes to Israel with the consent of the United States Government, and that some of these planes had passed through Rome. In Paris, the Foreign Office said: “Not a single French jet plane has left French territory for Israel.”
One official, refusing to be quoted, said it would be “cruelly misleading” to lead Israel to believe that the State Department has given Canada, Britain, France, or any other country the idea that the United States wants arms sold to Israel. The fact that Col. Katriel Salmon, chief Israel military attache in Washington, accompanied Israel Ambassador Abba Eban when the latter called last Friday on George V. Allen, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, gave rise to a belief that the arms question was discussed in detail, although the Ambassador did not divulge the specific nature of matters discussed.
State Department press spokesman Lincoln White said that he “did not know” what comment he could make when asked whether the U.S. recognized in principle Israel’s need for arms. “I known nothing about that, “he stated.” But he added that he thought the position of the U.S. with respect to Israel has been spelled out in Secretary Dulles press conferences and in Mr. Dulles’ letters to Congressmen. Secretary Dulles informed Congressmen who urged arms for Israel that the State Department does not think arms for Israel is the best way to bring peace to the Middle East, indicating a preference for United Nations and tripartite peace moves.
Asked if active discussion had been resumed on Israel’s arms request between the State Department and the Defense Department, Mr. White said he did not know, but that Constant consultations are always under way between the Defense Department and the State Department.
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.
