Sen. John Heinz (R.Pa.) and 28 members of the House of Representatives have written to President Carter urging him to delay his proposed Middle East aircraft package for “six to eight months, “the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned today.
Having Congress act “now would jeopardize the delicate structure of negotiations already in place in the Middle East and would lead to a divisive debate in our own country which could divert public support from a negotiated settlement,” the signers said in a letter dated March 24.
We recognize and are committed to fulfilling your historic responsibilities for the security of Israel,” it added. “We agree that the Administration needs to develop constructive relationships with all the parties in the Middle East. At this time, however, encouragement for negotiations must receive the highest priority.”
The letter was initiated by Reps. Toby Moffett (D.Conn.); Thomas J. Downey (D.NY), and Silvio O. Conte (R. Mass.), who are chairmen of committees in “Members of Congress for Peace Through Law.” They circulated their letter within the organization for a week for signatures before sending it to the President.
The organization, which had its inception in 1959 on a proposal by Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R.NY), consists of 33 Senators and 142 House members, roughly a third of the combined Senate-House membership of 535.
EILBERG PROTESTS AGAINST THE ACTION
Rep. Joshua Eilberg (D. Pa.) protested his colleagues’ action in a letter to Rep. Charles W. Whalen Jr. (R. Ohio), chairman of the organization. Whalen did not sign the letter. Eilberg pointed out the moratorium advocated in the letter ignores a written pledge by the United States to sell arms to Israel.
Opposing the package idea, Eilberg said the package deal would mark a change in U.S. policy toward Israel and in addition would “encourage” a “dangerous new precedent in making the sale of arms to Israel contingent on the sale of arms to Arab nations.” He urged the Congress to consider each sale “on its own merits.”
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