Eshkol Says Washington Visit Strengthened Link Between U.S. and Israel

Israel Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, prior to his leaving Washington for New York today, told a press conference at the Israel Embassy that he felt that his visit here had improved contacts between the United States and Israel and enhanced the general atmosphere of relations linking the two countries.

Mr. Eshkol said he was impressed by President Johnson’s attitude and feels that Israel can believe in the President’s good faith and good will. He said also that the United States understands that the desalting program will be very expensive and is willing to help financially.

At a luncheon tendered in his honor by the Overseas Writers Club here. Mr. Eshkol urged that “an earnest effort should be made to secure effective and controllable agreements to ensure a halt to the race in arms and military technology in the Near East,” He emphasized that “the purpose of Israel’s defensive policy is not to win a war, but to prevent one.” He said Israel’s policy will be to “keep on pushing off the danger of explosion and gain time for the counsels of reason to prevail.”

He lauded President Johnson’s suggestion for Israel-American cooperation in desalting water as vital for the world. He pledged that the achievements would be available to all developing countries in the Middle East and elsewhere. Mr. Eshkol said he wanted it made clear that Israel’s growth will be in development within its own territory and “we want nothing that belongs to our neighbors.”

Mr. Eshkol told the Overseas writers that Israel heard continued aggressive threats and could “envisage no other answer at this stage than the strengthening of Israel’s defensive capacity as a means of deterring aggression.” He said over the last eight years Israel’s defensive strength has effectively served this purpose. “Whatever the economic burden involved, we shall persist in this effort,” he declared. “Without it the relative quiet in our area could be upset overnight.”

Earlier today the Prime Minister met at Blair House with a delegation of Congressional leaders. Among them were Speaker of the House McCormack, Majority Leader Albert, Minority Leader Halleck, Chairman Morgan of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Celler of the House Judiciary Committee, Chairman Fountain of the Near East Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Senators Saltonstall, Humphrey, and Symington of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Mr. Eshkol thanked the Congressional group for the friendship of Congress toward Israel and for their interest in Israeli development.