A member of the Senate Select Committee investigating the Iran arms sale scandal told an audience of Jewish leaders here that Israel’s role in the affair “has not had a significant amount of impact” on U.S.-Israel relations.
Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D. Md.) attributed the absence of negative reaction toward Israel to the underlying strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship which, he said, is based firmly on shared values. The U.S.-Israel relationship is “a cardinal element of a principled American foreign policy,” Sarbanes said in a speech to 500 delegates attending the four-day 43rd annual Plenary Session of the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC) here.
Speaking of the Middle East peace process, the Maryland Democrat asserted that “We need to restrain and limit, or totally deny, arms transfers” to Arab countries “unless they are genuinely participating in or contributing to movement toward peace.”
He said that while the U.S. is prepared to develop constructive relations with other Middle Eastern nations, it will not do so at the expense of Israel. He said the U.S. should “actively press the peace process forward,” noting that “Camp David provides the framework within which we can hope to work out a solution to the conflict in the Middle East.”
Another speaker at the Plenary Session, Nimrod Novik, special advisor to Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, said an international peace conference as the framework for negotiations between Israel and Jordan would be an “historic breakthrough.” He stressed that while there are some obstacles to advancing and planning a peace conference, Israel is “tirelessly committed” to seek peace with its neighbors.
He said Israel agreed to the concept of an international conference in order to help facilitate the convening of direct, bilateral negotiations with Jordan. He noted that such negotiations within the broader context of an international forum would provide the umbrella covering sought by Jordan’s King Hussein.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
