Seymour Opposes Arms Sales to Saudis : Foreign policy: Upon returning from Israel, the senator expressed concern such a deal would threaten the Jewish state’s security.

Firmly siding with the friends of Israel, Sen. John Seymour (R-Calif.) declared Tuesday that the United States should not sell any offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia despite the Arab nation’s central role in the allied victory over Iraq.

“It all starts out with this: Who’s been our friend in the Middle East . . . over the years? Who is the only democracy in the Middle East? The answer to both questions is Israel,” the former Anaheim state senator told reporters. “You have to take care of your friends.”

Seymour also said he strongly supports a special emergency aid package of $650 million, approved Tuesday by the House Appropriations Committee that is intended to compensate the Jewish state for losses suffered during the war.

He made the remarks hours after his return from Israel. The visit was his first overseas trip since he was appointed in January to fill the unexpired U.S. Senate term of Gov. Pete Wilson. The four-day visit to Israel included meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and Shlomo Lahat, the mayor of Tel Aviv, which suffered heavy damage from Iraqi missile attacks.

Shamir and other Israeli officials expressed “a tremendous sense of relief that (the war) is over,” Seymour said. But they also are deeply concerned that the United States, in its quest to bring peace to the volatile region, “might be willing to compromise Israel’s security in that process.”

Seymour cited as specific concerns the prospect of large weapons sales to Arab states and the possibility that the United States may be unwilling to push its Arab allies to formally recognize the right of Israel to exist.

He did not specifically come out against arms sales to other Arab allies, but an aide later said the senator certainly would oppose the sale of offensive weapons to Syria. The aide said he did not know Seymour’s position on arms sales to Egypt, another key American ally in the Gulf conflict.

The visit to Israel was seen by some as an effort by Seymour to shore up support from the pro-Israel camp for the tough challenges he faces in the 1992 Senate primary and, if he wins that race, the general election. Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton), one of the most conservative members of the House, has said he will take on Seymour in the primary. Former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who barely lost a bid for the governorship last fall, so far is the only Democrat to declare for Seymour’s seat.

But Seymour said domestic politics were not on his mind when he scheduled the trip to Israel several weeks ago. “This was a sincere interest, so I could be one step ahead of what’s coming next, and that is peace,” the senator said. He also said he spoke with Israeli officials about that nation’s progress in meeting its water needs and inspected desalination and other water-recovery facilities.

Seymour acknowledged that supporting Israel is not likely to hurt him at home. “To the degree I’m philosophically in tune with people here because of positions I take over there, I would hope I get support,” he said.

Seymour said he would study what constitutes “offensive” arms. Asked, for example, if he would consider fighter aircraft offensive or defensive, the senator said, “I’d have to take a look at that. . . . I’m not a military expert.”