Communists Provoke Storm in Knesset on Middle East Command

The Knesset today witnessed another stormy session when Communist deputy Meir Wilner moved for a discussion of “Israel’s methodical negotiations” with the United States and England for the inclusion of Israel in “the planning of a world war in this part of the world.”

In reply to the Communist demand, which was eventually turned down by Parliament, Premier David Ben Gurion restated Israel’s policy on the Middle East command by reading the reply made by his government to a recent Soviet note protesting discussions of the command.

The Communist deputy cited reports to the effect that Israel had acquiesced to a four-power request that she place some 200,000 men under the supreme command of Egyptian King Farouk and under the “patronage” of the U.S. He demanded that the government make the following four pledges: 1. That it will not join the command or “any other aggressive covenant;” 2. That it will not give bases to any foreign power in the Negev, at Lydda or Haifa or in any other part of the country; 3. That the Israel Army will not participate in any aggressive anti-Soviet war; 4. That Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett’s trip to England is not connected with negotiations with the United Kingdom for joining an anti-Soviet Middle East command.

Disorder broke out in the chamber when the Premier said that he could not be certain whether there was less truth or less common sense displayed in deputy Wilner’s comments. Wilner charged that the Premier was responding to a political attack with a personal attack. Then, when the catcalls from the Communist and Mapai benches had subsided, the Premier charged the Communists with supporting the Arabs during the 1929 anti-Jewish riots, and with supporting the 1939 Nazi-Soviet pact. Wilner called the Premier a “liar” and the catcalls resumed.

BEN GURION READS TEXT OF ISRAEL’S NOTE TO MOSCOW

After order was restored, the Premier suggested that the point under discussion could best be resolved by his reading the note sent to the U.S.S.R. in reply to the Moscow demarche of December 8, 1951 on the Middle East Command. The Israeli memorandum pointed out that Israel had not been invited to join the command, therefore the problem had not come to Israel’s attention in the form that would require it to take a stand on the issue. However, the note told the Soviet Union, the powers sponsoring the command had assured cured Israel that it has no aggressive aims.

Israel sees as her paramount problem the threat to her own security posed by the Arab states’ refusal to sign peace treaties with her, the note said. It emphasized that Israel also considers that peace is not a divisible problem and that all United Nations members, headed by the great powers, are obligated to act energetically to remove this threat hanging over Israel and the Middle East. The note also pointed out that Israel is dedicated to the task of helping maintain world peace and guarding her “dearest possession” which was achieved after a prolonged fight and many sacrifices–her independence and national sovereignty.

The note stressed that Israel has not agreed and will not agree to any aggressive acts against Russia or any other peace-loving country. It also denied emphatically reports published in the Soviet press during the last two years of the existence of alleged foreign bases in Israel. These news items are completely false, the note emphasized, because there are no foreign bases on Israel’s territory. But, it added, such news reports are bound to affect relations between the U.S.S.R. and Israel, ahtough Israel desires to maintain friendly relations with the Soviet Union.

The Israeli note then pointed out that the chief aim of the State of Israel is the return of Jews to the Jewish State and that the Israel Government knows that only by maintaining peace throughout the world and by maintaining normal relations with varous states can this aim be achieved. It then asked the soviet Union to with to make possible the migration to Israel of all Soviet Jews who wish to do so, particularly since this is in complete accord with Russia’s policy of equality and self-determination of every nation.

Finally, the Israeli note expressed the hope that the exchange of views between the two states would clarify all problems which have arisen and would further improve relations between them.