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Taft Rebukes Abourezk and Hatfield

April 26, 1973
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Senator Robert Taft Jr. (R.Ohio) says he “strongly” advises that those who advocate a change or a hands-off policy by the United States towards the Middle East “ought to take a look at the realities of the situation as they exist.”

Openly rebuking Senators James Abourezk (D.S.D.) and Mark Hatfield (R.Ore.) who had urged in Senate speeches that the U.S. back off from its support for Israel. Taft suggested that they meet Assistant Secretary of State Joseph Sisco “and get briefed on some of the developments which are occurring in the Middle East situation.”

Taft said that the United States “has been exercising great restraint in connection with the delivery of arms.” The U.S. also should he added, “certainly work with the other major nations which have been supplying arms, particularly to the Arab countries, and specifically jets to Libya, which are now reported being transferred to Egypt, to try to accomplish a scale-down of the likelihood of major fighting breaking out.” Anyone who feels the U.S. is not concerned” with arms deliveries to the Middle East “simply does not know what the facts are,” Taft said.

Abourezk had said that the U.S. take the lead in reducing both tensions and arms shipments in the Mideast while Hatfield contended that any Mideast settlement “must include Palestine.” They made these statements when the United Nations Security Council was engaged with the charges against Israel on its raid on Arab territories in Beirut.

The Israeli developed and produced sea-to-sea missile, “Gabriel,” will be on display in Paris next month. It will be exhibited as part of the Israeli Aircraft Industries exhibition. The Gabriel, produced by the Israel Aircraft Industries, will also be shown for the first time to the public at an exhibition to open next month in the Tel Aviv fair grounds.

Israel probably, will not participate at this year’s Cannes film festival according to Variety, the American show business weekly, “for reason of caution and for reasons that the host country will insist upon.” France, explains Variety, made it known that Israeli participation at the festival would be possible only if Israel supplied tight security measures.

Officer NEW YORK. WASHINGTON. PARIS. LONDON. JERUSALEM. TEL AVIV. JOHANNESBURG. BUENOS AIRES. SAO PAULO. LIMA Correspondents In, UNITED NATIONS. CHICAGO. LOS ANGELES. TUCSON. MONTREAL. TORONTO. MEXICO CITY. CARACAS. SANTIAGO de CHILE. KINO de JANEIRO. BONN. BRUSSELS. AMSTERDAM. ROME. ATHENS. COPENHAGEN. VIENNA. GENEVA.

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