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Bush officals tell Arab-Americans U.S. will rethink arms sales to Israel

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, June 1, 2001

The Bush administration reportedly told Arab-American leaders that the White House is reconsidering weapons sales to Israel after its use of F-16 aircraft against the regime of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Arab-American leaders said they were told by senior U.S. officials that the administration would give "serious consideration" to future U.S. arms sales to Israel during the Israeli-Palestinian war, Middle East Newsline reported. The senior officials — including National Security Council member Bruce Riedel — attended a meeting sponsored by Arab and Islamic leaders.

The meeting was organized by the Arab American Institute. The group's president, James Zogby, said he called the meeting after being told by Arab leaders that the Arabs were increasingly seeing the conflict as a "U.S.-Israeli confrontation with the Palestinians."

Riedel reportedly told the Arab-American leaders that the administration is reviewing the complaints that Israel is using such U.S.-made systems as the AH-64A Apache attack helicopter, F-16 fighter and light anti-tank weapons, against the Palestinians. The Arab-Americans said this violates the Arms Export Control Act.

"We are concerned that U.S. interests in the region are being compromised because Arab public opinion views U.S. weaponry as killing Arab children," AAI chairman George Salem said. "Obviously, our community is monitoring this crisis very closely and we will continue to raise it at the highest levels."

Friday, June 1, 2001


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