Israel Official Terms Nixon’s Foreign Policy Statement ‘one of Clearest’

The first official reaction to President Nixon’s foreign policy message to Congress yesterday came from Gideon Rafael, director general of the Foreign Ministry, in a radio interview last night. Mr. Rafael said that Nixon’s call to Soviet Russia to halt its intervention in the Middle East was “one of the clearest statements made by the American administration in recent years as regards Soviet intentions to exploit the conflicts in the area.” Asked if he thought the message implied that Israel would get the American arms it asked for, Mr. Rafael said “in this matter we have no need for guesswork. We are in dialogue with them (the Americans). I call your attention to the passage in the President’s message in which he said that the United States will supply arms to friendly nations as the need arises.”