Washington Report, May 3, 1982, Page 5

Lobby Activities

For Arabs:

The National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA), in a series of Congressional hearings on President Reagan's foreign aid request for fiscal 1983, has been urging Congress to reduce the level of aid proposed for Israel while increasing the amounts designated for Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.

The Reagan Administration has proposed $2.5 billion in economic and military assistance for Israel, $23 million for Lebanon and $6.5 million in development assistance for the West Bank and Gaza, disbursed through U.S. voluntary agencies.

NAAA's Executive Director David Sadd, in testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, argued that at the proposed levels Israel would receive a "disproportionate" amount of U.S. aid. Acknowledging that the President's request of $2.4 billion in aid for Egypt is only slightly less than that proposed for Israel, Mr. Sadd noted that on a per capita basis Israel comes out far ahead, with each of its citizens receiving $627 in U.S. assistance as compared with $55 for every Egyptian.

Mr. Sadd asked Congress to raise the Administration's proposed figures by earmarking for Lebanon at least $100 million in military assistance and $100 million in economic aid, and by increasing to $15 million the development assistance to the occupied territories. He also urged Congress to "put increasing pressure upon Israel not to put intolerable obstacles in the way of the economic development programs that the people of the West Bank and Gaza need anddeserve." Private U.S. voluntary organizations have had some of their development and welfare projects blocked by the Israeli military government, according to Sadd, delaying the expenditure of several million of U.S. government funds.

For Israel:

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has been asking Congress to make a grant to Israel of an additional $300 million in military assistance for fiscal 1983 rather than to provide the aid on a loan basis as requested by President Reagan. AIPAC is also urging Congress to block the Administration's attempt to convert into a loan $310 million in grant funds that has already been approved by Congress.

The Executive Director of AIPAC, Thomas Dine, said before a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs that "the failure to provide concessional assistance would cast serious doubt on our commitment to preserve Israel's qualitative edge."

The Administration's total $2.5 billion aid package for Israel breaks down into $785 billion in economic aid and $1.7 billion for military support.

In supporting his request for concessional assistance, Mr. Dine emphasized what he said was the importance of Israel in combating the Soviet "threat" to the region through strategic cooperation with the U.S., and his belief that Israel's military superiority in the region is being eroded by a steady increase in arms to the Arab world.