Premier Yitzhak Rabin said that he was pleased with President Carter’s definition of peace in the Middle East, with his distinction between “defense lines” and “legal borders” and his recognition of Israel’s need for defensible borders. On the other hand, he thought that Carter’s view of Israel’s final boundaries meant that a tough struggle lay ahead between the U.S. and Israel over that issue.
Rabin made his remarks in an interview with Israel Radio at Miami where he inaugurated the 1977 international Israel Bond campaign last night. He referred to his private talks with Carter Monday and Tuesday and the President’s statements at a White House press conference yesterday at which he expounded in detail his thinking on the nature of Middle East peace, future borders and Israel’s defense needs.
Rabin said, “In the course of my talks (with Carter) I learned that the President is interested in advancing the diplomatic process. He sees the need to examine to what extent it is possible, as first preference, to reach negotiations on an overall settlement.” Israel’s desires, Rabin said, dovetail with Carter’s desires.
Rabin said he also learned “that in a number of areas there is a change for the better in the U.S. stance in relation to what I previously knew its position to be on an overall settlement….I found Carter’s position on an overall settlement substantively better than I had known the U.S. position to be at any time when I served as Ambassador.” Rabin served as Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. during parts of the first and second Nixon Administrations.
ANOTHER AREA OF IMPROVEMENT
The Israeli leader said that “Another area (of improvement) is that of peace borders. Our position is that even for full peace we must obtain defensible borders which cannot be based on the 1967 lines. This position was fully clarified to the President. The President spoke as he did at his press conference. It is too early to interpret what he said. You will notice that he drew a distinction between the problem of defense borders and political border.
“I cannot, I am not empowered, and I do not wish to interpret what he said or what he meant. But I have already heard from top officials in the State Department deep concern at the likely reaction of the Arab states. For no U.S. President has ever said anything like this before–about distinguishing between defense lines and the political borders, which implies the placement of Zahal (Israel defense) forces beyond the political borders.”
MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN U.S. VIEW
Regarding Carter’s assertion that Israel would have to withdraw to its 1967 lines with only minor border adjustments to achieve a full peace. Rabin was asked if the President had not in fact revived the Rogers Plan, enunciated by Secretary of State William P. Rogers in 1969.
Rabin replied: “I do not relate solely to Carter’s statement (at his press conference) especially since I heard from him slightly more detailed things….I would not want us to jump to over-hasty conclusions. The central point is that a meaningful change has occurred in (America’s) conception of peace compared with the past. The President’s statement (also) contains unequivocal recognition of Israel’s defense needs, regarding the placement of Zahal forces and regarding security arrangements and early warning procedures beyond the political borders.”
CARTER’S BASIC POLICY
However, Rabin stated, “If any Israelis believed there was support in the U.S.– in the past or at the present–for a non-withdrawal policy, then they are living in a serious delusion.” The Premier noted that “Above all, the President reiterated that the responsibility and the last word belongs to the parties to the conflict and there can be no substitute for that.”
He said that “following my visit I am pleased that the issue of the quality of the peace stands better than before. It may be though, that on the issue of defensible borders, we shall find ourselves at odds with our neighbors and perhaps also with the U.S.” Rabin said in that connection that “We are today in a position of strength to struggle for what we believe and I believe we have the strength to convince (others) and to stand firm for our position.”
Asked if he was disappointed by Carter’s statement on borders, Rabin said “I don’t deal in feelings.” He observed that “Carter was rightly testing the prospects of progress to a settlement. He was doing so slowly and methodically. I believe this will be done in coordination and understanding with Israel.” Rabin added, “I can imagine what will happen here when the Arab leaders come here and find themselves up against the President’s definition of the quality of peace–and have to explain that they propose postponing that to subsequent generations.”
AMERICA’S VITAL INTEREST
(Addressing more than 1500 Jewish leaders from the U.S. and Canada at the Israel Bond dinner which was also held to honor Rabin, the Premier, referring to his talks with Carter, said: “I learned that the U.S. has a vital interest in the area’s remaining quiet and in the advancement of peace. But the U.S. remains firmly committed to the principle that responsibility for negotiations for obtaining peace and for taking up specific and detailed positions, lies with the parties to the conflict–the Arab states and Israel.”
(He called on American Jews to dedicate themselves to strengthening Israel through the Bond campaign “to expand the infra-structure of our economy and to make Israel a better place to live.” He declared. “We can come closer to peace by strengthening Israel.” Rabin expressed the view that the coming year would offer “better options” for the pursuit of peace and that the situation in the area “is more ripe” for meaningful negotiations with the Arab states.
(On his arrival at the Miami airport, Rabin was given a warm welcome by acting Governor James H. Williams of Florida, heading a reception committee of state and city dignitaries and leaders of the Israel Bond Organization and of the Jewish community of Miami. More than 200 school children, waving Israeli flags, were at the airport to cheer Rabin on his arrival.
REASON FOR DEFENSIBLE BORDERS
(Earlier yesterday, Rabin addressed a luncheon sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations where he told the 200 Jewish leaders. 25 Congressmen, civil rights leaders and representatives of Protestant, Catholic, labor and industrial groups that one of the reasons Israel demands defensible borders is that even if a peace agreement is reached with the Arabs the Mideast has a “tradition of not keeping commitments.”
(Rabin said that if Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s words are measured by the way he has kept to the Sinai agreement provision, namely, that Egypt would end its anti-Israel propaganda, then Israel is “more doubtful that Sadat can keep his word on anything else.” He expressed his gratitude to Carter and Secretary of State Cyrus Vance for making his meetings in Washington “most successful” and pledged he will cooperate in every way with Carter for the advancement of peace.
(After the meeting, a Conference delegation met with Vance and held what was described by Rabbi Alexander Schindler, Conference chairman, “a useful, frank and reassuring” discussion on U.S. policy in the Mideast. Vance emphasized that the central thrust of American policy in the Mideast was stated by Carter at his press conference yesterday. That was:
(“Obviously, any agreement has to be between the parties concerned. We will act as an intermediary when our good offices will serve well, but I am not trying to predispose our own nation’s attitude towards what might be the ultimate details of the agreement that might mean so much to world peace.”)
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
