THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Saudi-Backed Jordan Buys
U.S. Arms; State Dept. Quiet
WASHINGTON (JTA)
— Completion of a three-
cornered deal for the sale
by the United States to
Jordan of 14 Hawk missile
systems and 100 Vulcan
anti-aircraft guns with
Saudi Arabia providing
the money. appears cer-
tain although the State
Department has refused
publicly to confirm it.
Also administration
sources leaked that Saudi
Arabia had agreed to
supply the $540 million
for the equipment and
has transmitted its
pledge to Washington.
State Department
:spokesman Robert Fun-
-eth, however, said that.
`progress" has been
made on the deal but
would not say whether
the negotiations have
been completed.
The deal, originated 18
months ago, stirred Con-
gressional opposition led
by Sen. Clifford Case (R-
NJ), who observed the
systems would be a
threat against Israel. A
compromise was reached
by which the Administra-
tion pledged to require
the missile batteries to be
stationary so that they
would not be as great a
menace to Israel. The
Administration says they
are an air defense sys-
tem.
The sale price at that
time was 8350 million
which the Saudis had ag-
reed to pay. Jordan, how-
ever, wanted additional
war materiel and training
programs that, together
with inflation, boosted the
price to 8850 million. The
Saudis balked at that sum.
Jordan blamed the U.S.
for inflating the price and
said it would negotiate
with the Soviet Union for
the weapons. That fell
through, however, be-
cause the Soviets wanted
cash for their weapons.
At that time Administra-
tion sources put out
stories that Congress was
to blame for Jordan going
to Moscow for weapons.
That line, however, was
set aside when the Saudis
and Jordan, after Jor-
dan's failure in Moscow,
negotiated the com-
promise figure, it is now
said.
Meanwhile, the State
Department again con-
firmed that the sale to
Saudi Arabia of 2,000
Sidewinders — an air-to-
air missile — is not yet in
the final stage. No letter
of notification of the sale
has been made to Con-
gress, which has veto
power over it.
Congressional sources,
however, said that Sec-
retary of State Henry A.
Kissinger was prepared
to ask Congressional ap-
proval two weeks ago and
then decided against it. It
was reported that Con-
gressional opposition
caused the Department
to reconsider the deal.
Instead of the Side-
winders, it is now being
reported by Congres-
sional and Administration
sources, that the U.S. is
prepared to sell Maverick
missiles and laser bombs
to Saudi Arabia.
There was another re-
port that the Administra-
tion might still seek to
sell the Saudis Sidewin-
ders but would scale
down the number to meet
the objections of Con-
gressional critics who
said that 2,000 was more
than Saudi Arabia
needed for its defense.
Soares 'Housecleaning' May
Lead to Relations With Israel
TEL AVIV(JTA)— The
establishment of dip-
lomatic relations bet-
ween Israel and Portugal
may be expected soon as a
result of contacts during
the last two months bet-
ween representatives of
both countries.
A hint of this possibility
was made by Premier
Mario Soares of Portugal
in a speech to the parlia-
ment in Lisbon. He said
his government would
embark on an effort to
normalize relations bet-
ween and with the
Peoples' Republic of
China.
Circles in Jerusalem
said that Socialist leaders
in Western Europe re-
mmended to Soares,
o heads the Por-
tuguese Socialist move-
ment, that his govern-
ment establish diploma-
tic relations with Israel.
Reports reaching Israel
from Portuguese Socialist
sources say that Com-
munist and other leftists
circles in the previous co-
alition governments in
Portugal opposed the es-
tablishment of diplomatic
relations with Israel. The
exclusion of Communists
from the Soares cabinet
now opens the way for dip-
lomatic relations.
Meanwhile, rumors are
rife in Jerusalem that
Yaakov Yasur of Mapam
is being considered as Is-
rael's first ambassador to
Lisbon if and when rela-
tions are established.
Peres Says Egypt Broke Sinai Pact
TEL AVIV (JTA) — De-
fense Minister Shimon
Peres revealed that Is-
rael has lodged a com-
plaint with Gen. Ensio
Siilasvuo, the comman-
der of the UN peace-
keeping force, about a
number of violations of
the interim Sinai agree-
ment by Egypt.
These violations, Peres
told the cabinet, included
a flight of Egyptian
helicopters over the buf-
fer zone, the movement of
Bedouins from the north
to the south in the buffer
zone and the larger than
permitted number of
army regiments east of
the Suez Canal.
Siilasvuo promised to
take up the complaint
with the Egyptians.
Smolar Award
Deadline Nears
NEW YORK (JTA) —
The eligibility date for
nominations for the 1976
Smolar Award for Excel-
lence in Jewish Jour-
nalism has been extended
to July 31 from May 31 in
order that any special
Bicentennial projects
may be submitted, it was
announced by the Council
of Jewish Federations
and Welfare Funds.
All such material must
be submitted by Sept. 1
and must fit into one of
the eight previously an-
nounced categories:
Three in the area of
"news" coverage for loc-
al, national and overseas
reportage respectively;
two for "editorial" excel-
lence — either a single
editorial or a series, in-
clusive of cartoons, and
for an outstanding regu-
lar column devoted to
news analysis and com-
mentary; and in the "fea-
ture" area, separate
awards recognizing a
series of articles on a spe-
cial theme, a single arti-
cle (inclusive of inter-
views, personality
sketches, film, book re-
views), and a regular col-
umn whose focus is the
local community scene.
Territory Visits
by Arabs Rising
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
During the first 45 days of
this year's summer visit
program, which allows
visitors from Arab coun-
tries into the adminis-
tered territories, some
46,000 visitors crossed
the Jordan River bridges.
The summer visits have
taken place since the
Six-Day War.
It is expected that the
number of visitors will
reach a new peak this
year. The number of vis-
itors last year was almost
100,000, - bringing the
total since 1968 to 730,000
Arab citizens visiting
their relatives in the Is-
rael administered areas.
Primary Results
Candidates who won
their party's nomination
for various offices in
Tuesday's primary elec-
tion included:
Dorthea
Becker,
Democratic candidate for
U.S. Congress, 19th Dis-
trict; and David M.
Gubow, Democratic can-
didate for Oakland
County Treasurer.
Bernard L. Kaufman
was one of eight candi-
dates nominated on the
non-partisan ballot for
four seats open on the
Oakland County Circuit
Court. Other nominees in-
cluded S. James Clarkson,
Alice Gilbert, James
Thorburn and Robert
Webster.
In the race for Oakland
County Commissioner in
Oak Park, incumbent
Dennis M. Aaron outpol-
led two opponents for the
Democratic nomination.
In West Bloomfield,
Democrat Irving Weiner
was elected to the board
of trustees.
Frid ay,
An Event of Cultural
Importance to the
Jewish Community
p
The Annual Dinner Of
Detroit Friends of
Bar-Ilan University
will be held
Tuesday Evening,
September 21, 6 p.m.
in the Shaarey Zedek Social Hall
The entire community is invited to join
in advancing Israel's education program
at the great university in Israel.
For reservations call
Detroit Friends of
Bar-Ilan University
23125 Coolidge,
Oak Park, Mich. 48237
Telephone
398-7180
Co-Chairmen
DAVID B. HERMELIN
IRVING NUSBAUM
COMMITTEE IN FORMATION