Defense Minister Ezer Weizman left for Washington last night to seek additional U.S. military and economic aid for Israel next year. Israel has requested $3.4 billion in grants and loans. The Carter Administration reportedly is ready to approve $1.8 billion but may be willing to increase the sum to $2.3 billion. (See related story P. 4.)
Weizman said before his departure that he is hopeful that his talks with Secretary of State. Cyrus Vance and Defense Secretary Harold Brown will convince the Administration to increase its ratio of grants to loans. He said that while he understood that the U.S. has its own problems of inflation and unemployment, it “must be aware of the fact that we are partners and Israel’s importance to the achievement of peace in the Middle East cannot be overlooked.”
Weizman said he would also exchange views with the American officials on the Middle East situation in general and would express Israel’s reservations over the Administration’s plans to supply Saudi Arabia with large quantities of sophisticated weaponry. He is accompanied to Washington by Dr. Yaacov Ne’eman, director general at the Finance Ministry.
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