News In Brief

Israel expands US aid request next year; tack-on also asked

Israel asked the United States Wednesday for $4.05 billion in military and civilian economic aid next year and an additional $800 million for this year. The US approved $2.6 billion in aid to Israel for this year.

Finance Minister Yitzhak Modai's request, submitted to US Ambassador Samuel Lewis at a ceremony here, drew a sharp response from the US diplomat. If Israel did not take fundamental austerity measures, ''then it is clear that no amount of aid could solve your difficulties,'' Mr. Lewis told the minister. He pointed out that the US faces a $200 billion deficit of its own.