Evron: No ‘crisis’ in U.s.-israel Relations, Just ‘difference of Opinion Between Close Friends’

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Ephraim Evron, said today that Israel and the United States are not going through a “crisis” in their relationship and all reports to that effect are exaggerated. He characterized the friction between the two countries over Israel’s raids in Lebanon as “a difference of opinion between close friends.”

Addressing a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations here, Evron predicted that Israel and the United States will “resume very soon the good relationships,” as happened in the past after the two countries went through a period of friction.

He said that “after the dust settles,” and the situation with regard to Israel’s motives in its recent action in Lebanon would become clearer, there will be “more understanding” on the issue between the two countries. He said that he is “certain” that the close relations between Israel and the U.S. will continue in the future, adding that this attitude was expressed to him yesterday by Secretary of State Alexander Haig and other Administration officials.

SORRY ABOUT SUSPENSION OF F-16S

Evron, however, said he was “sorry” over the Reagan Administration’s decision to suspend the delivery of 10 F-16 fighter planes following Israel’s air attack on Beirut last Friday.

“I do not think it (the decision) stabilizes the situation” in the Mideast, “on the contrary,” he said, pointing out that Israel is the one country in the region that is threatened with destruction and therefore “we need to defend ourselves.”

Evron said that Israel was “forced” to defend its northern border and its citizens following terrorist attacks with rockets and shells from across the Lebanese border.

“None of the rockets and shells were aimed at Israeli military forces but at civilians,” Evron charged, adding: “I must express my chagrin and surprise that none of these found place in the American media.” He also noted that when Syria bombed the Christian town of Zahle and killed many civilians there “the international community and the media did not pay attention at all.”

BASIS FOR ISRAEL’S ACTIONS

The Israeli envoy explained that Israel had to attack the terrorists in Lebanon at this time because of “a change of tactic” on their part in recent months. “They began a systematic, massive military build up,” he said, with arms they received from Libya, Syria and other sources. In fact, Evron claimed, the terrorists succeeded in building the “infra-structure of well supplied regular forces.”

Under those circumstances, Evron said, Israel had to attack terrorist strongholds in Lebanon. “We are determined to put an end” to the PLO’s attacks on Israeli civilians, he said, adding that Israel will continue with its defensive attacks until raids and bombardments of Israeli territory is stopped.

The Ambassador said that in the course of the Israeli attacks, civilians were killed but the responsibility is with the terrorists who shelter themselves among civilians. “Those who make the war their objective,” Evron said, “should bear in mind the consequences.”

CLAIMS MEDIA CREATED DIVISION

Howard Squadron, chairman of the Conference of Presidents, rejected at the beginning of the meeting reports in the American media of a “division” in the American Jewish community over Premier Menachem Begin’s policy in Lebanon. He said that “the efforts to find division in the Jewish community” and between Israel and the United States is “characteristic” of the way the media handles these issues.

Squadron said the Jewish community in the United States will continue to support Israel. This attitude was also expressed by Rabbi Alexander Schindler, President of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, who said that American Jews will continue “to stand by Israel.”

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENTS CONFERENCE

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Conference of Presidents called on President Reagan to immediately resume F-16s planes deliveries to Israel. In a statement unanimously adopted, the Conference called the suspension “a one-sided punishment of Israel” whose result is “to endanger Israel’s security and compromise America’s own interest in the Mideast.”

The statement, sent to the White House in a form of a telegram signed by Squadron, said that “while all Jews are deeply concerned by the loss of civilian lives on both sides of the Lebanese border … the primary responsibility for civilian deaths in Beirut must be borne by the terrorist PLO which has deliberately exposed Lebanese civilians to the loss of life by locating its headquarters and military installations within civilian areas.”

The message to the White House quoted Reagan’s own statement given to the American Assembly for Zionism and Israel last May calling Israel “a major strategic asset whose military strength stands as a deterrent to Soviet aggression. When our country enhances Israel’s security, we advance our own strategic interests,” the President said then.