An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman claimed today that Americans holding dual citizenship were serving in the armed forces of Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia and that there are 1,500 American citizens residing on the West Bank.
He said the Arab charge that the U.S. was encouraging American citizens to fight for Israel, which was based on the fact that the U.S. does not automatically revoke the citizenship of Americans serving in armed forces of friendly states, was a “smoke screen alibi” for Egypt where Soviet advisors direct Egyptian military activities on the front lines.
The spokesman said the Arab accusations were a continuation of the false charges voiced by President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt and King Hussein of Jordan, at the time of the Six-Day War, that U.S. planes were aiding the Israel Air Force. Diplomatic sources here nevertheless expressed “astonishment” that the U.S. seemed to be apologizing to the Arabs instead of attacking Arab motives in the case.
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