Rep. Thomas O’Neill of Massachusetts, the Democratic majority whip in the House, said here today that Israel should continue to receive American aid and that he would vote for it, though he wouldn’t say in what amounts and no figures have yet been presented to Congress. O’Neill headed a fact-finding mission of 24 U.S. Congressmen, accompanied by their wives and aides, who spent the past four days touring Israel and meeting with its leaders. They left Ben Gurion Airport for home this afternoon.
O’Neill told reporters that he and his colleagues were convinced that both Israel and Egypt are interested in resuming bilateral talks with the aid of a mediator. He said his group would recommend this when they return to Washington because it would be good for Israel, good for the world and would bring peace nearer if the talks were resumed. The American law-makers arrived in Israel last Thursday, met with Premier Yitzhak Rabin Friday morning and with Defense Minister Shimon Peres before they left today. They visited the Weizmann Institute of Science and toured Galilee and the Golan Heights on Saturday.
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