Sparkman Says Risk of Mideast Conflict Increases if U.S. Falters in Giving Continued Aid to Israel

The United States increases “the risk of open conflict” in the Middle East if it falters in giving continued aid to Israel, Sen, John Sparkman (D.Ala,), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said today. Sparkman told the annual meeting of B’nai B’rith’s commission on community volunteer services that any uncertainty about U.S. assistance “will invite uncertainty and indecision in the Arab states. We would create a psychological and material vacuum that will be filled by the Soviet Union,” he said.

Sparkman and Sen, Richard Stone (D.Fla,) who addressed the meeting earlier, agreed that Congressional support for Israel remains strong, Stone, however, said he detected “a possible weakening in support by the White House.” He added: “Congress will approve any request for assistance to Israel President Ford asks. The problem is to get a decent request out of the White House. Stone called the Administration’s current reassessment of its Middle East policies as an “indication that U.S. foreign policy is bankrupt.”

But Sparkman saw “no conflict” in the Administration’s “examining the options” following the failure of the Kissinger shuttle and simultaneously assuring “as much as we can that Israel’s security and economic needs are satisfied.” Continuing, he said, “It may well be that Israel, Egypt and the State Department erred in judging what was possible” and that “the time is not ripe” for Egypt to sign a non-belligerency agreement, or for Israel to withdraw from strategic territory.”

Sparkman added: “There is time to try again and even to refocus the effort. Perhaps both states will have to live in the context of a balance of power in the area for the time being.” A Middle East peace settlement “will take a long time,” he observed. “What the United States can do, or hope to do as a friend of Israel, is to make the passage to a real and lasting peace less painful,” he added.