Rabin,. Cia Officials Confer on Israel’s, Arabs’ Military Strength

The Middle East diplomatic process appears to be President Ford’s main emphasis while the measure of U.S. financial backing to Israel seems to be Premier Yitzhak Rabin’s immediate concern in their current meetings here.

The financial difference centers on the reductions of the Administration’s recommendation that military support to Israel drop from $1.5 billion this fiscal year to $1 billion in the new fiscal year starting Oct. 1. The diplomatic discussions deal with the next steps under U.S. guidance without any “hiatus” as Ford has publicly put it.

Seeking to have the $500 million restored. Rabin took the unusual action of meeting with out going CIA director William Colby and his successor, George Bush, late yesterday. The meeting was at the residence of Israeli Ambassador Simcha Dinitz. The CIA is charged with providing estimates on the relative military strength of Israel and its Arab neighbors.

Rabin was said to have told Colby and Bush that U.S. estimates are inaccurate regarding both Israel’s military power and the continually improving military strength of its Arab neighbors. It has long been seen here that the Arab nations acquiring Soviet, European and American arms are upsetting the military balance to Israel’s disadvantage.

The reduction in U.S. military aid to Israel, together with inflation that further reduces the purchasing power of the financial package, is considered as weakening Israel. The Defense Department, to which the CIA reports its findings, is technically responsible for the military aid recommendation in the new U.S. budget. However, all branches of the government concerned with foreign affairs are jointly involved in the recommendation. It appeared that the Rabin meeting with the CIA chiefs was with the approval of the President.