Israel emphatically denied today rumors that it would prefer the Carter Administration’s proposed aircraft sales package to Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to no sales at all and reiterated that it expects the U.S. to live up to its “prior commitment” to supply it with the aircraft “essential” to its defense. A statement by Ambassador Simcha Dinitz, released to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today, said:
“In response to widely circulated reports as if the government of Israel would prefer all three proposed airplane sales to go through rather than none, I wish to state that this does not correctly represent the Israeli position. The Israeli position concerning the proposed sale of aircraft by the U.S. to Israel, Egypt and Saudi
“1) Israel expects that the F-15 and F-16 aircraft will be made available to her in accordance to a prior U.S. commitment. Israel considers these aircraft as essential to her defense requirements. 2) Israel strongly opposes linking arms sales to Israel with those to any other country in the Middle East. The U.S. has not conditioned in the past such arms sales to Israel. Moreover, Israel deems it a matter of principle that her military needs be
An Embassy spokesman said Dinitz made his statement in response to questions by correspondents.
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