Sale of U.S. Phantoms Deferred As Johnson, Eshkol Review Issue of Arms to Israel

A joint United States-Israel communique issued here late this afternoon by the Texas White House, following two days of talks between President Johnson and Israel’s Premier Levi Eshkol, said today that “the President agrees to keep Israel’s military defense capability under active and sympathetic examination and review, in the light of all relevant factors, including the shipment of military equipment by others to the area.”

The communique stated that the President and Prime Minister “considered the implications of the pace of rearmament in the Middle East and the ways and means of coping with this situation.” It declared that the two statesmen “restated their dedication to the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, in accordance with the spirit of the Security Council resolution of November 22. 1967. They also noted that the principles set forth by President Johnson on June 19, 1967, constituted an equitable basis for such a settlement.”

White House sources said after the communique was issued that a decision to sell Phantom jets to Israel would be deferred until such time as the United States determined that Soviet arms shipments had reached a point of imbalance, that would undermine the balance of power in the Middle East.

SUPPORT U.N. EMISSARY TO MIDEAST, STRESS CLOSE AMERICAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS

The two leaders noted ‘with satisfaction” that the United Nations special representative to the Middle East, Ambassador Gunnar V. Jarring ‘is already engaged in discussions with the Governments concerned and affirmed their support of his mission.” They said they “reviewed with satisfaction developments in the relations between the United States and Israel since their last meeting in 1964, and expressed their firm intention to continue the traditionally close, friendly and cooperative ties which link the peoples of Israel and the United States.”

The joint statement added: “Noting the mutual dedication of their government and people to the value of peace, resistance to aggression wherever it occurs, individual freedom, human dignity and the advancement of man through the elimination of poverty, ignorance, and disease, the President and the Prime Minister declared their firm determination to make every effort to increase the broad area of understanding which already exists between Israel and the United States, and agreed that the Prime Minister’s visit advanced this objective.”

Mr. Johnson and Mr. Eshkol held several intimate talks during the visit at the Texas White House yesterday and today, in which they discussed “recent developments in the Middle East as well as a number of questions of mutual interest in the bilateral relations between their two countries.”

Mr. Eshkol and his official party departed by air for New York immediately after the communique was issued, flying in President Johnson’s plane, Airforce I. Contrary to usual protocol, the newsmen who had come here in a special press plane to cover the Johnson-Eshkol talks were permitted to go back to New York in the President’s plane, with Mr. and Mrs. Eshkol.

JOHNSON TOASTS ESHKOL, ISRAEL AT LBJ RANCH DINNER; RUSK PARTICIPATES IN TALKS

The President drew an analogy between Israelis and Americans in a toast to Prime Minister Eshkol at a private dinner at the LBJ Ranch last night. Mr. Johnson said the two peoples “share many qualities of mind and heart,” and declared:

“We both rise to challenge. We both admire the courage and resourcefulness of the citizen-soldier. We each draw strength and purpose for today from our heroes of yesterday. We both know that thrill of bringing life from a hard but rewarding land. But all Americans–and all Israelis–also know that prosperity is not enough–that none of our restless generation can ever live by bread alone. For we are equally nations in search of a dream. We share a vision and purpose far brighter than our abilities to make deserts bloom. We have been born and raised to seek and find peace. In that common spirit of our hopes, I respect our hope that a just and lasting peace will prevail between Israel and her neighbors.”

“This past year has been a busy one for America’s peace-makers – in the Middle East, in Cyprus, in Vietnam.” Mr. Johnson spoke of the difficulty of making peace and stressed that “it demands enormous courage, flexibility and imagination.” He added that peace “is ill-served by hasty slogans or half-solution,” and said it was the American intention to pursue and find peace in the Middle East and throughout the world.” He recalled that God once promised the children of Israel “I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant.” Using the word “Shalom,” the President toasted his guests and the people of Israel.

Mr. Eshkol returned the toast and expressed appreciation for Johnson’s friendship. He complimented Texas and said “the broadness of this place is matched by the breadth of your understanding and the depth of your friendship, and the determination of America which you symbolize to buttress peace, to block its disruption by aggression and to enlarge the horizons of man’s opportunity.” He voiced hope for the realization “of your dream of peace and human dignity.”

Among those in attendance were Secretary of State Dean Rusk, the presidential advisor on international security affairs, Walt W. Rostow; and Assistant Secretary of State Lucius Battle.

Several hours of private talks were held today and yesterday. The President personally drove Mr. Eshkol across his ranch in an automobile, after a helicopter tour of the region.