Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R.NY), insisting that there is no “crisis” between the United States and Israel, nevertheless urged Israel today to reconsider its positions on controversial issues where it does not see eye-to-eye with the U.S.
Javits, who arrived here last night, spoke to newsmen after a meeting with Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan. He is scheduled to meet Premier Menachem Begin and other ministers as well as Labor Party leaders Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin and Yigal Allon, before he leaves tomorrow.
The Senator suggested that Israel should ponder whether there are real points of difference between itself and the U.S. or whether the differences stem from a misunderstanding. He said that for his part he would do whatever he could to clear up any misunderstandings.
Javits assured Israelis that they still have many friends in the Senate and enjoy a great deal of sympathy in the U.S. He said it was still possible to find 76 Senators prepared to sign a letter in support of Israel, as was the case during the Ford Administration’s “reassessment” of Middle East policy in 1975.
With respect to Begin’s difficult meetings with President Carter last week, Javits said: “I believe a sharp difference of opinion has developed, perhaps not even justified, between the President and the Premier. It may develop between friends, it can even develop between husbands and wives; that doesn’t mean that they divorce.”
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