Ambassador Yitzhak Rabin accused the United States today of delaying supplies of arms, especially Phantom jets to Israel for political reasons. He said the delay must be regarded as constituting political pressure and warned that the Americans were making a serious mistake and jeopardizing chances for a final or even partial settlement in the Middle East. The Israeli envoy to Washington addressed reporters at Lydda Airport where he arrived for a short private visit. He said he was taking his home leave now because the American administration was at the moment deeply involved in domestic economic problems. Rabin will meet with Premier Golda Meir and Foreign Minister Abba Eban and will participate in government discussions of the United Nations Security Council debate on Jerusalem scheduled after Labor Day and the General Assembly’s fall session which opens Sept. 21. Rabin said he didn’t think the U.S. would support any change in the status quo in Jerusalem but this does not mean that the U.S. regards Jerusalem as an Israeli city. He said the U.S. would make efforts to shorten the debate on Jerusalem. In reply to questions. Rabin said the U.S. continued to supply arms to Jordan within the framework of a campaign to win more friends in the Middle East. Rabin said that chances for a final or partial settlement in the region would become realistic only when the Arabs and the Soviets realize that Israel cannot be overpowered militarily.
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