Cabinet Responds to Suspension of Talks

The Cabinet met late last night in emergency session to deal with the sudden turn of events following Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s recall of the Egyptian delegation from the political committee talks.

A statement issued by the Cabinet “noted with regret the announcement of the Egyptian government as to the sudden suspension of the negotiations” but affirmed that the Egyptian move proved “once more” that the Sadat government “was under the illusion that we surrender to demands that at no time were acceptable to Israel.”

The statement outlined the harsh Egyptian demands for the establishment of a Palestinian state on the West Bank, the withdrawal of Israel from Sinai, the Golan and the West Bank, and the transfer of the old city of Jerusalem to foreign rule.

It noted, too, that Israel had presented a peace plan “that was received positively by all those who have seen it,” including President Carter, Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, former President Ford, members of Congress and British Prime Minister James Callaghan. The Cabinet statement also recalled that on Dec. 28 Carter termed Israel’s plan as showing a great deal of flexibility and as a long step forward.

“It is only the Egyptian government in its astonishing intransigence that sees the plan as delaying tactics and deceit and decided, in the midst of this early stage of the negotiations on a declaration of principles, to suspend the talks.” Continuing, the statement said:

“We did not put any preconditions. We did not make any discussion on Egyptian proposals conditional on their acceptance of ours. As in all negotiations there was an exchange of proposals and counterproposals. Israel will continue to strive for the establishment of a permanent and just peace with her neighbors Should the Egyptian government decide to renew the negotiations, Israel will be willing to do so.”