The State Department continued today to warn Israel against supporting the Christian militia in Lebanon and lashed out at the militia for resisting Lebanese army attempts to take over Christian strongholds. The Administration did not criticize the Syrian “peace-keeping” army’s continued artillery and rocket fire against Christian areas in Beirut, which has brought an overwhelmingly supported resolution in the House of Representatives to cut off foreign aid to Syria.
A State Department spokesman, Thomas Reston, said “obviously” the Department had seen reports that Israel is supplying weapons to the Lebanese Christians. “We would be concerned about the introduction of new arms in Lebanon,” Reston said, because that would “work against the defusing” of the fighting.
Reston said that “a short time ago,” an Israeli “representative” had given the U.S. assurances that Israel would not transfer American-origin military equipment “without specific approval” to the Christians and added that “we have no doubt Israel is keeping its assurances.” Reston did not identify the “representative.”
He observed, in response to a question, that the U.S. has no control over equipment “not subject to U.S. law or agreement” that Israel may be providing the Christians. Reston said the U.S. is in touch with “all parties” in the Lebanese strife, adding that “includes the Syrian government. We don’t deal with the PLO.”
He referred to yesterday’s U.S. statement in which the U.S. deplored Lebanese Christian fire on Lebanese army units and publicly criticized the militia’s “recklessness.” He said the State Department renewed its call for the Christians and Syrian troops to end their fighting in Beirut.
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