Ottinger: Nixon Pressuring Israel to Withdraw from Territories in Exchange for Planes

The Nixon administration is pressuring Israel into withdrawing from border territory it has occupied since the Six-Day War of 1967 in exchange for a commitment to sell Israel the jet fighters she has requested. Congressman Richard L. Ottinger charged last night. Ottinger, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, said his information came from diplomatic sources. He asserted that the move indicates “that the pro-Arab clique in the State Department and the White House is still bent on jeopardizing Israel’s security while currying favor with the Arabs.” The Congressman’s charge came in a speech before the N.Y. League of Histadrut. “It is apparent,” Ottinger said, “that the Nixon administration feels it can dictate the terms of peace in the Middle East, starting with concessions from Israel, rather than making it clear to all the nations involved that only direct negotiations between them can provide a lasting solution.” Delay in selling Israel the Phantom jets and other military equipment Israel’s Foreign Minister Abba Eban sought in Washington last week “is just encouraging Nasser and the Arab terrorists to escalate their war against Israel in the belief that the United States will not act,” he said. Asking Israel to withdraw from border territory it has occupied since 1967, Ottinger said, “would simply be inviting more terrorist attacks like the one which took the lives of innocent school children near the Lebanese border last week.”