Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004

Although considered pro-Israel, Reagan, the 40th U.S. president, acted to balance U.S. policy toward Israel and Arab states. Under Reagan, the United States halted F-16 sales to Israel after its raid on Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981, approved the sale of advanced surveillance aircraft to Saudi Arabia in 1981, pushed Israel to halt its offensive in Lebanon in 1982 and opened formal talks with the PLO in 1988.

Photo: Executive Office of the President