Rep. Philip M. Crane, Illinois Republican said yesterday on his return from a visit to Israel, Jordan and Lebanon that the United States must supply more Phantom jet fighter bombers to Israel. He said he was making a report to this effect to President Nixon. The Illinois Republican, who introduced the pending resolution advocating direct face-to-face Arab-Israeli negotiations, said he returned from the Middle East “more convinced than ever” that Israeli forces should not withdraw from the occupied territories under Soviet, Arab or French pressures but only in the context of a genuine general peace settlement.
At the same time a ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee told President Nixon yesterday that members of Congress “must strengthen your hand in impressing upon President Pompidou the extent of the American conviction and unity” in meeting the problems resulting from the French sale of arms and aircraft to Libya. Rep. William S. Bloomfield, Michigan Republican, wrote to Mr. Nixon to explain his opposition to the proposed boycott of the joint congressional session on Feb. 25 which the French president is to address.
The congressman stressed that “we must make the most of the fortuitous opportunity of the French president’s visit” to make him understand the American viewpoint. Mr. Bloomfield said President Nixon’s desire “to limit the dangerous arms race in the Mideast” and his determination to preserve the balance of power were recognized.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
