Eagleburger Thanks Israel for Restraint

The United States does not question Israel’s right to retaliate against Iraq for its attacks on this country, but Washington nevertheless admires Jerusalem’s “restraint,” Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger declared Monday.

During two days of talks with Israel’s leaders, Eagleburger reassured them that President Bush “stands with Israel in defending against Iraqi aggression.”

Also on Monday, Brig. Gen. Nachman Shai, chief army spokesman, said that Iraq still has a formidable array of missiles in western Iraq and targeted at this country.

He warned that Israelis still face Iraqi attacks, including the use of chemical weapons.

“Most of the mobile launchers are still there (in western Iraq),” Nachman told a news briefing.

Eagleburger brought a reassuring message here at a moment when Israel’s leaders face the dilemma of responding to two episodes of Scud missile attacks, at the risk of endangering the U.S.-led coalition in the Gulf War.

“We recognize and respect the right of every sovereign state to defend itself,” he said, “and thus have never questioned Israel’s right to respond to attack.”

But he added: “We also recognize and respect Israeli’s desire not to be drawn into this conflict, and greatly admire Israel’s restraint in the face of Iraq’s deliberate and murderous effort to widen the conflict caused by its aggression against Kuwait.”

The American diplomat agreed with a statement made earlier in the day by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir that “no deals” have been made to exchange an Israeli promise not to retaliate against Iraq for two Patriot antimissile batteries delivered Saturday by the United States to Israel. He also denied reports that his mission was to keep Israeli from undertaking retaliation.

He said he assumed, however, that if Israel decided to retaliate, its leaders would consult with the United States first.

For his part, Shamir said on the subject of retaliation: “We will respond at the right time, in a manner decided by Israel.”

Eagleburger said that he came here to coordinate U.S.-Israeli strategy. He added that President Bush and Shamir “have talked with each other often and intimately during these critical days.”

The American diplomat said that he will meet today with Finance Ministry officials. Presumably, he plans to discuss Israel’s request for large infusions of funds to pay the costs of the current emergency, estimated by Israeli officials to total $1.5 billion.

During the day Monday, Eagleburger toured a neighborhood struck by an Iraqi missile and visited one of the newly deployed Patriot batteries, where he spoke to American soldiers who are operating them.