Shamir Denies Israel Made Any Military Commitments to the U.s.; No Secret Accord Reached in Washingt

Premier Yitzhak Shamir flatly denied in the Knesset today that Israel made any military commitments to the U.S. during his and Defense Minister Moshe Arens’ talks with President Reagan and top Administration officials in Washington last week.

There was no secret agreement reached in Washington and reports to that effect are “erroneous rumors and baseless interpretations,” Shamir declared in a statement to the Knesset explaining the substance of his agreements with the U.S. with emphasis on their economic as well as military benefits to Israel.

Shamir and other Israeli officials have rejected suggestions in foreign media and from some opposition quarters in Israel that the American air strike against Syrian positions in Lebanon yesterday, on the heels of an Israeli air strike a day earlier, indicated collusion between the two governments to make war on Syria.

CITES A DETERRENT EFFECT

Shamir told the Knesset that the U.S.-Israel joint political-military committee scheduled to hold its first meeting in Washington next month, will discuss combined military maneuvers and the storage of American military equipment in Israel. He contended that the military cooperation between the two countries would have a deterrent effect. Storing military equipment would also make a significant contribution to Israel’s economy.

The Premier explained that the Americans also would buy some equipment in Israel for their armed forces. In addition, the U.S. agreed to provide the greater proportion of its military assistance to Israel in the form of grants rather than loans.

He noted that whereas in the past Israel received $1.7 billion, half in grants and half in loans, it will now receive $1.4 billion as a grant. Aid funds will be exchanged for Shekels in the amount of $250 million. Israel will also be able to sell material to the American air and naval forces.

Shamir maintained that this cooperation between the two countries will focus on deterring Syria’s “aggressiveness” and on reaching a solution in Lebanon. He called on King Hussein of Jordan to join the peace process and on President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to resume the autonomy talks.

GENERAL DEBATE ON SHAMIR’S STATEMENT

Shamir’s statement was followed by a general debate. Former Foreign Minister Abba Eban of the Labor Alignment stressed that Israel’s only interest in Lebanon is to secure its northern border. Peace for Galilee can be guaranteed by a strategy of deterrence from within Israel, he said and “There are no Israeli interests that dictate an Israeli effort to drive the Syrians out of Lebanon by force.”

“No Israeli interest will be promoted by an extended stay of the Israel Defense Force along the Awali River,” he said. “No Israeli interest dictates continued deployment in Lebanon as long as the Syrian army does not withdraw.” The Knesset debate will be resumed Wednesday on a motion of no-confidence by the Hadash (Communist) Party.

Shamir, who expressed deep sorrow in the Knesset today over the deaths of American marines in Lebanon — eight were killed in heavy bombardment which followed yesterday’s air strike — said: “Those soldiers were sent to preserve peace and they are being killed by the enemies of peace.”

VANCE ENDORSES U.S. AIR STRIKE

Earlier today, at a meeting with former U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, Shamir said the Syrians had dared provoke the U.S. because they had Soviet backing and the Soviets supply them with sophisticated weaponry. He endorsed yesterday’s air strike by U.S. carrier — based aircraft, two of which were shot down by the Syrians. He said the American action was a reasonable and proper response to Syrian attacks on U.S. reconnaissance flights over Lebanon in recent days.

Vance, who served in the Carter Administration, also approved of the American air strikes. “I think they (the marines) were the targets of attack and they have to defend themselves,” he said. But Vance observed that while he favored good relations between the U.S. and Israel, there was no need for strategic consensus between them. He also stressed the need to revive the peace process. “Unfortunately … almost nothing has happened for many, many months,” he said.

PEACE PROCESS PROSPECTS SEEM DIM

But the prospects for reviving the peace process seemed to dim in light of recent events and various interpretations of them. Only yesterday, Israeli officials were taking pains to deny reports in the foreign media that the back-to-back U.S.-Israeli air attacks on the Syrians in Lebanon were evidence of collusion. The officials insisted that the American bombing raid was not coordinated in advance with Israel and did not represent or reflect collaboration in a joint operation.

The officials hinted, however, that the U.S. did inform Israel shortly before its aerial strike, but only because it wanted to avoid a “mishap” which might have occurred if Israeli planes were in the skies over Lebanon at the same time as U.S. aircraft.

They affirmed that Israel remains determined to hit at Palestinian terrorists in Lebanon and that the U.S. is on record that it will hit back if its forces in Lebanon are attacked.

ARABS DENOUNCE U.S.-ISRAEL ACCORDS

Both the American air strike and the newly concluded U.S.-Israel agreements were denounced vigorously throughout the Arab world yesterday. Egyptian President Mubarak warned in Cairo that the agreement for “strategic cooperation” with Israel would spell disaster for America’s friends in the Arab world. Mubarak, speaking to reporters, said that he had not received official confirmation of the American attack on the Syrians and could only “hope that these reports are false.”

The official Algerian news agency said the air strike was practically “a declaration of war” against the Arabs. Amman radio deplored the attack, warning that it would “only make matters worse and provoke new tension in the area.” The raid was vigorously protested by the Sudan government. Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf states condemned it as “part of Israel’s war on the Arab nations.”