Julius Berman, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, called on the Reagan Administration today to reassess its Mideast policy in view of “the collapse of the Reagan peace plan.”
Speaking at a press conference here, Berman said that the recent decision by King Hussein of Jordan not to enter into negotiations with Israel demands that the United States end its reliance on “moderate” Arab states and abandon its efforts to create an Arab consensus regarding a settlement with Israel. Berman also said that the U.S. should recognize that peace in the Mideast can only come when individual Arab states display the courage to defy PLO terrorism and join Israel at the negotiating table.
Berman said that the Presidents Conference has requested a meeting with the President to discuss U.S. policy in the Mideast, and that it is expecting a reply from the White House in the next few days.
“I am optimistic that a reevaluation of U.S. policy has already begun,” Berman declared. “The positive action of Secretary of State George Shultz in permitting American companies to supply Israel with assistance needed to develop its Lavie fighter planes is a highly encouraging development.”
Berman added: “We hope to see an early decision by the Administration to notify Congress of its intention to fulfill its commitment to sell 75 F-16 jet fighters to Israel. This would be the most effective answer to the provocative action of the Soviet Union in placing and manning with its own troops the lethal SAM-5 missiles in Syria.”
U.S. HOLDS KEY TO SOLUTION IN LEBANON
Turning to the situation in Lebanon, Berman expressed the hope that an agreement between Israel and Lebanon may come soon. He said, however, that the U.S. holds the key for an early solution because “it remains only for the United States to signal to Lebanon that it wants an agreement soon. When the signal is given, Lebanon will respond.”
He added that the bombing of the American Embassy in Beirut on Monday “must have demonstrated to the Administration that Lebanon is not yet strong enough to prevent terrorists from returning to the Israeli border. That is why Israel insists on adequate safeguards before it withdraws.”
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