An Israeli official expressed gratification today that an American company which allegedly has complied with the Arab boycott in the past will be one of the prime contractors in the construction of two U.S. financed air bases in the Negev. Dan Halperin, assistant director general of the Treasury, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Israel is fully aware of the past record of the Perini Corp. of Framingham, Mass., which, he claimed has done much work in Arab countries and signed contracts with them that contained boycott clauses.
(A Perini Corp. spokesman told the JTA in New York yesterday that his firm has “never violated” U.S. anti-boycott legislation.)
Halperin noted-that by its participation in the construction of the Negev air bases, perini would be violating the Arab boycott rules that tolerate selling to Israel but balk at any physical presence here. “We sincerely hope that Perini’s contacts in the Arab world will continue to flourish and will not be affected by it involvement in the Negev bases work,” he said. “Our view has always been that companies can and should do business with both Israel and the Arab states”
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