Most Allies Back U.S.; Arabs Close Ranks

The United States won qualified support from most of its allies and condemnation from the Arab world Tuesday as American warplanes for a second day battered Libyan targets on the Gulf of Sidra.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in one of the strongest endorsements of the U.S. actions, said Washington has “every right” to conduct naval operations in the disputed gulf off Libya and is “entitled to self-defense.”

Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres applauded the U.S. military response, calling Libya the “arrowhead of international terrorism.”

Solidarity With Libya

Morocco’s pro-Western King Hassan II, in a statement typical of Arab leaders, declared solidarity with the Libyans, saying he will take “all action necessary so that the territorial integrity of Libya be respected.”

Serious concern was expressed in Italy, a U.S. ally, as the explosive military situation unfolded on its Mediterranean doorstep.

Prime Minister Bettino Craxi said Italy does not recognize Libya’s claim to the Gulf of Sidra, but he added that U.S. military actions appeared to be an inappropriate way to uphold international law.

Craxi told the Italian Senate that he had sent a letter to President Reagan urging him “to avoid repeating episodes of war that can lead to a still more serious and more uncontrollable situation.”

No Egyptian Comment

Arab comment and government statements uniformly supported Col. Moammar Kadafi’s regime, although some of Kadafi’s Arab adversaries, such as Egypt, withheld official comment.

Syrian President Hafez Assad conferred twice with longtime ally Kadafi by telephone Monday and Tuesday, the official Syrian news agency said. The Libyan news agency said Assad offered to put “all the Syrian Arab people’s capabilities” at Libya’s disposal.

The Palestine Liberation Organization, in Tunis, Tunisia, said it was throwing its “total support” behind Libya in what it called that country’s fight against “American aggression.”

Other international reaction:

--The West German Foreign Ministry said it rejects Libya’s claim to the Gulf of Sidra, but “at the same time, we hope the activity there does not escalate.”

--The Dutch government criticized Libya for firing missiles at U.S. warplanes and said it was “inappropriate that claims like the one at issue should be emphasized by the use of force.”

--Canadian External Affairs Secretary Joe Clark said he supports the U.S. action but added that Canada would like to see both sides “show restraint.”

--In a typical Third World comment, Ghana’s government said the hostilities were “the direct consequences of the repeated provocative military exercises carried out by the Reagan Administration in the area.” Ghana suggested that the Gulf of Sidra dispute be submitted to the International Court of Justice.

--Iran’s Prime Minister Hussein Moussavi expressed “full support” for Libya, which has backed the Iranians in their war with Iraq.