Sen. Arlen Specter (R. Pa.) declared here last night that he was “very much opposed” to the United States selling Saudi Arabia bomb racks, extra fuel tanks and air-to-air missiles for the 60 American-made jets it has ordered because it would be contrary to the Carter Administration promise in 1978 not to increase the offensive capacity of the planes.
In a speech to the National Executive Committee of the Zionist Organization of America at the Warwick Hotel, the freshman Senator asked what would America’s allies think if the U.S. broke in 1981 a commitment made in 1978.
Joining Specter in criticizing the proposed sale of additional material to the Saudis, ZOA president Ivan Novick warned that “Israel would be harmed by arming the Saudis. There has been no change in Saudi Arabia’s rigid anti-Israel policy.”
Specter told the 200 ZOA leaders that he felt that the Reagan Administration would support Israel and that despite the cuts being made in foreign aid, the Administration would retain the $2.2 billion aid appropriation to Israel in the 1982 budget, the same as this year.
Novick also warned that the European officials who are now coming to Washington to meet with Reagan “will try to influence” the President” to change the course of the Camp David agreements and to force the U.S. to recognize the terrorist Palestine Liberation Organization,” he said.
“President Reagan and Secretary of State Haig have expressed the American position that international terrorism is morally repugnant and politically unacceptable. Instead of pursuing the road of defeatism, inferiority and capitulation the European nations should take inspiration from the courageous and realistic position taken by the new American Administration.”
Continuing, Novick said: “I ask the leaders of the European nations if their acceptance of the PLO will genuinely serve the cause of Middle East peace. By legitimizing the PLO, are we serving the best interest of the Palestinian people? Do not the European leaders have a moral responsibility to convince the Palestinian people that their answer for a decent life requires their rejection of the PLO covenant.”
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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.
