Rabin Expresses Confidence That the Carter Administration Will Honor American Commitments to Israel

Premier Yitzhak Rabin expressed confidence tonight that the new Administration in Washington will honor American commitments to Israel. He also predicted that 1977 will be a year of movement toward a political solution of the Middle East conflict. Rabin, addressing the opening of a Labor Party Bureau political discussion, stressed Israel’s good relations with the U.S. and said the two countries have an understanding on political developments.

It is the American tradition that a new President keeps the promises of his predecessors, Rabin said, and these include the outgoing Administration’s promises of arms for Israel. He said the day was near when Israeli Air Force pilots will be flying American F-15 jets and that the F-16 interceptors have been promised to Israel in the 1980s. Only journalists question such a development, Rabin said.

Speaking of recent developments, he said Israel was witnessing the beginning of a process by the Arabs which combines both political and military pressure but is aimed at a political settlement. He said that while Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s so-called peace offensive has been nothing but words up to now, 1977 will witness an Arab effort, headed by Egypt, with Syria’s support, to achieve progress in the political sphere.