Rabin: Israel Will Seek Additional U.S. Military Aid if the U.S. Decides to Provide Arms to Arabs

Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin asserted today that while Israel and the Reagan Administration “basically reached an agreement” that U.S. military aid in 1986 will be increased to $1.8 billion, Israel would seek more if the U.S. decides to provide arms to the Arab states.

Rabin’s remarks came at a press conference after the White House officially announced the figure for the 1986 appropriation, all of it a grant, which is $400 million more than Israel is receiving this year, but $300 million less than Israel requested.

The Defense Minister, who met with President Reagan at the White House this morning, said that the Administration had not mentioned to him any plan for providing arms to such countries as Saudi Arabia and Jordan. He said he did not discuss this issue specifically except to repeat the position of every government of Israel — that Israel opposes any sale of arms to Arab countries that consider themselves in a state of war with Israel.

Rabin said Israel “appreciates” the U.S. increase and indicated that it would not seek to have the amount raised by Congress unless new weapons are sold to the Arabs. He stressed that most of the money is spent in the U.S. for the purchase of arms and only $200 million will be used in Israel for the development of the Lavie fighter plane.

NO THREATS NOR PRESSURE FROM THE U.S.

Rabin said that he found in his three days in Washington “understanding and readiness to support Israel in this crucial period of our life” both in the Administration and in Congress. On Israel’s request for increased economic aid, Rabin said there were no “threats” nor “pressure” from the U.S., and that the U.S. wanted only to be sure that the Israeli government and people were “serious” about solving its economic problems.

Asked about the overall peace process, Rabin said that a “timetable” cannot be set for achieving peace because it is necessary to “create opportunities for achieving the expansion of the peace process.” He stressed that peace cannot be imposed either by Israel on the Arabs or by the Arabs on Israel nor by outside powers on the region, but requires a decision by the countries concerned to turn from war and agree to negotiate.

While stressing that Jordan is the only neighboring Arab country where negotiations with Israel seem likely, Rabin said he doubted that King Hussein could afford the isolation in the Arab world that followed Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s willingness to reach a peace agreement with Israel.

At the same time, he saw some hope in Iraq resuming diplomatic relations with the U.S. after 17 1/2 years, and Jordan “daring” to renew relations with Egypt. He saw this as small step that could lead to progress in the coming year.