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U.S. Urged to Grant Israel $500 M More from $2.2 B Emergency Aid

May 2, 1974
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Rep. Thomas O’Neill (D. Mass.), leader of the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, yesterday urged the Nixon Administration to grant an additional $500 million to Israel from the $2.2 billion in emergency aid already voted for the Jewish State. He also said the United States should “at least” have abstained, rather than voted for, the United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israel for its raid into Lebanon while not mentioning the Arab terrorist massacre at Kiryat Shemona.

President Nixon last week announced that he was making a grant of $1 billion from the $2.2 billion fund in his “initial determination” and that the remaining $1.2 billion would be credits at three percent interest. Congress has allowed Nixon to make a gift of up to $1.5 billion. June 30 is the last day for the President to decide on the amounts.

O’Neill made his recommendation at the fifth annual luncheon for House members given by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which some 200 Congressmen attended.

Rep. John J. Rhodes (R. Ariz.), the House minority leader, pledged himself to a U.S. policy that recognizes the security problems facing Israel and “provides the tools that Israel needs to remain strong and free.” He also said that Soviet-American detente is in Israel’s best long-range interest, pointing out that in the quest for detente the Soviet Union has allowed increasing numbers of Jews to leave for Israel.

Speaker Carl Albert (D. Okla.), in welcoming the AIPAC delegates to the Capital, said that Congress has responded to Israel in “the way it should have responded.” Praising Israel, he said that the “small but mighty republic” exemplified heroism in the Yom Kippur War that will live for many generations.

At the AIPAC dinner Tuesday night marking the group’s 20th anniversary. Senate Minority leader Hugh Scott (R. Pa.), a supporter of Israel in Congress for more than 30 years, and Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D. Tex.), both strongly backed Israel. Scott declared. “We will not contradict today or tomorrow what we have said on many yesterdays.” He warned that the West will fall of “moral and political depravity” if it allows Israel to fall.

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