Extension of Military Credit to Israel Accepted by House in Conference with Senate

Extension of military sales credit to Israel for 15 months beginning Oct. 1 was accepted by House members today in the Senate-House conference on the Defense Procurement Act. The extension, proposed by Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D.Wash.), was voted by the Senate ten days ago, 76-9, as an amendment to the act. The House, which did not consider a similar amendment when it was adopting the act, will vote on the Jackson measure after the conferees complete action on the act as a whole. This is not expected before late next week, but is expected before Congress recesses for the Republican National Convention. Expectations are that the Jackson amendment will encounter no difficulties in either chamber and will be signed into law by President Nixon, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned.

The measure calls for “unlimited” credit to Israel in extension of the authorization voted by Congress when it accepted in Sept., 1970, a Jackson amendment calling for military sales credit to Israel of $500 million. That authorization expires Sept, 30. While the new measure calls for “unlimited” credit through Dec. 31, 1973, a Jackson aide indicated to the JTA that in practical terms it guarantees authorization of up to $300 million in the current fiscal year, ending next June 30. The Nixon administration had asked for that amount in the foreign military aid bill, which the Senate rejected last month. It was because of this rejection that Jackson offered his new amendment.

In a statement following the conferees’ action today, Jackson said: “The effect of the action of the conference is to guarantee the Jackson amendment under which Israel will continue to receive mightily needed arms including Phantom aircraft, and will remain the law of the land for another 15 months. In responding as it did, both the House and Senate have reaffirmed the view of the Congress that the security of Israel is vital to the security of the United States.” Jackson said he hoped President Nixon would “move at once to conclude the arrangements under which Israel is to receive $300 million in military credit this year.”