- Title: JORDAN: BRITISH MP CRITICAL OF JETS SALE TO ISRAEL
- Date: 11th August 1969
- Summary: MAYHEW WITH JORDANIAN PRIME MINISTER ABDEL AL-RIFAI; MEETING THE PRESS. Initials RE/VS/JF/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th August 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Reuters ID: LVA9Z3ER5OG3NMJGHFJ5GI9J3Q2J
- Story Text: BRITISH MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, CHRISTOPHER MAYHEW, HAS CRITICISED THE U.S. SALE TO ISRAEL OF PHANTOM JETS. HE DESCRIBED THE DEAL AS "THE MOST UNJUST AND RECKLESS ARMS IN HISTORY". THE MP, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE LABOUR PARTY MIDDLE EAST COMMITTEE, IS CURRENTLY ON A TOUR OF MIDDLE EAST STATES.
BESIDES HIS MEETING WITH MR AL-RIFAI AND OTHER GOVERNMENT LEADERS, MR. MAYHEW ALSO MET KING HUSSEIN IN PRIVATE AUDIENCE DURING HIS JORDAN VISIT. FROM THERE HE WENT TO KUWAIT.
MR. MAYHEW WAS STRONGLY CRITICAL OF ISRAEL DURING HIS AMMAN PRESS CONFERENCE. HE SAID ISRAEL WAS THE "WORLD BIGGEST LAWBREAKER" AND "VIOLATOR OF INTERNATIONAL LAWS AND HUMAN RIGHTS".
HE POINTED OUT THAT ISRAEL, THOUGH ONLY A SHALL STATE, HAD RECEIVED MORE CENSURES IN THE UNITED NATIONS THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE ORGANISATION.
MR. MAYHEW FURTHER ADDED THAT "ISRAEL STOOD SOLIDLY TO WRECK ALL PEACE EFFORTS" IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THE FORMER BRITISH MINISTER OF DEFENCE BETWEEN 1964 AND 1966, SAID THE ARMS DEAL WAS NOT THE OUTCOME OF CONSIDERED DIPLOMACY, BUT THE FULFILMENT OF AN ELECTORAL PLEDGE THE JEWS IN THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. "IT IS IN EFFECT AN ATTEMPT TO BUY THE JEWISH VOTE IN NEW YORK WITH ARAB LIVES IN THE JORDAN VALLEY", ADDED MR. MAYHEW.
HE POINTED OUT ISRAEL WAS ALREADY DOMINANT IN THE AIR. TO A QUESTIONER, THE BRITISH MP SAID THE CHANCES OF A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT IN PALESTINE WERE VERY REMOTE.
HIS VISIT TO JORDAN LASTED THREE DAYS.
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