Arens Session with Bush Interrupted by News of Another Missile Attack

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Arens was in the midst of telling President Bush on Monday about the extent of property damage caused by Iraqi missile attacks on Israel when the two leaders were informed that air raid sirens had just sounded again throughout the Jewish state.

This time, the Iraqi missile landed in an unpopulated part of central Israel, causing neither damage nor casualties.

But news of the air raid, coming as it did in the middle of the 35-minute White House meeting, provided a “very dramatic” illustration of the continuing, unpredictable threat Israel faces from Iraq, Arens later told reporters.

The defense minister, who arrived here Monday morning and was to fly out again Monday night, said he told Bush that the amount of damage the Iraqi missiles had caused in Israel was “very significant.”

“We see sites of destruction in Israel that have not been seen in Western countries since World War II,” Arens said.

While it is widely believed that Israel will seek compensation for such damage, from the United States as well as other sources, Arens said he did not raise the subject during the Oval Office session.

“You don’t want to ask for aid based on your end of January or early February losses if the war lasts another six months or two months,” a pro-Israel lobbyist explained. “The length of the conflict will decide the extent and type of aid.”

Arens reportedly carried a message to Bush from Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, which apparently was a follow-up to a telephone conversation the prime minister had with the president Saturday night. But there was no immediate information about the contents of the message.

TWO-HOUR MEETING AT PENTAGON

Arens also met for two hours late Monday afternoon with Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, who had just returned from conferring with military commanders in Saudi Arabia. He was accompanied by David Ivri, director general of the Israeli Defense Ministry.

It is presumed they discussed coordination of U.S. and Israeli military plans in the next phase of the Persian Gulf conflict, which may include a ground campaign by U.S.-led forces.

One contingency they may have discussed, a knowledgeable source suggested, was what the United States and Israel will do if Saddam Hussein “does get desperate and launches something that might have a chemical capability.”

Asked by reporters at the Pentagon if Israel would continue its policy of restraint and refrain from military action against Iraq, Arens said, “I don’t think that we can make any commitments. A great deal depends on what happens.”

Earlier Monday, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the United States has no interest in seeing Israel change its strategy of restraint.

“I don’t think we anticipate any change in policy,” he said.

The Israeli defense minister was also asked about the likelihood that Israel would join the allied war effort against Iraq, or at least contribute in some way to it.

“Our contribution could be significant if arrangements were made for that contribution,” Arens replied. He did not elaborate further.

After meeting with Cheney, Arens was planning to pay a call on Secretary of State James Baker before flying back to Israel later Monday evening.

His trip is being followed Tuesday by visits here from British Defense Minister Tom King and French Defense Minister Pierre Joxe.

On Friday, Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy is due here for meetings with Baker before addressing the annual plenum Sunday of the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council.