Neither the White House nor the State Department would discuss today details of the visits there in the past 10 days by Israeli Ambassador Simcha Dinitz, presumably in connection with the proposed sale by the U.S. of large quantities of sophisticated weapons, including Phantom jets, to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
But late this afternoon the State Department said that it has assured the Israeli government that “we will take a further look at Israel’s views” on the sale of U.S. arms. This statement was made by a Department spokesman to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency after a newsman had inquired for details of the discussions between Dinitz and Joseph J. Sisco, Assistant Secretary of State. The spokesman, however, declined to give specific details of the discussion.
Sisco, the Department’s expert on Middle East affairs, is scheduled to appear Wednesday before the Near East subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The subcommittee, headed by Rep. Lee Hamilton (D.Ind.), is understood to want details on the arms sale.
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