Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan urged American Jewish leaders to refrain from any attempts to mediate between Israel and Egypt and not to play the role of a go-between with respect to those two countries. In what was understood to be a criticism of a meeting between a group of prominent American Jews and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt in Washington on Monday, Dayan said that the U.S. Administration should be the only party to mediate between Israel and Egypt.
Addressing a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations here, attended by some 50 Jewish leaders, Dayan declared that Israel’s future and security is to be handled only by Israel. He added that the Israeli government does listen to American Jewry but emphasized that American Jews “please avoid the role of mediator between us and the Egyptians” because “this will only be counterproductive.”
Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, chairman of the Presidents Conference, said in a brief response to Dayan’s remarks that the organized Jewish community shares Dayan’s views and does not intend to play the role of a go-between.
DENIES RENEGING ON COMMITMENTS
The Israeli Foreign Minister, who arrived last night in the U.S. for a speaking tour before Jewish communities and leaders, said the policy of the present Israeli government and of former governments, is to settle on the West Bank. But he strongly denied charges that Israel had reneged on commitments to the Carter Administration on its settlement policies.
“We are living up to whatever we promised the Administration,” Dayan said. He said that Israel had agreed, for a period of 12 months beginning last October, not to establish civilian settlements on the West Bank and therefore all new settlements established since then were located within military camps. He denied that Israel had agreed not to exceed six settlements. He said such a figure was not mentioned at any time.
Referring to recent reports of a new settlement at Shiloh on the West Bank, Dayan said that only archaeological excavations were taking place there. But he acknowledged that the archaeologists were members of the Gush Emunim who had declared their wish to settle on that site permanently. “I admire them,” Dayan said. He added that he admired the Gush more than Israelis who leave Israel to settle in Canada and more than Zionists who do not settle in Israel.
NEGOTIATIONS, NOT DICTATION
Referring to the present state of affairs between Egypt and Israel, Dayan accused Sadat of wanting Israel to make concessions without committing himself to make peace with Israel. He said Sadat keeps saying he will not conclude a separate peace with Israel and that he wants the other Arab parties to come into the negotiations. But, the Foreign Minister observed, Jordan wants Israel to agree to its terms even before negotiations start. “The only way to reach a solution is negotiations, not dictation,” Dayan said.
He asked, rhetorically, “Please let us know if Sadat wants to make peace or just to get concessions.” Dayan claimed that Israel is forthcoming and ready to negotiate over everything but will not put itself in a position of surrender or let itself be dictated to. He expressed hope that an agreement is attainable, but only if all parties agree to sit down and negotiate. He hoped that Jordan will eventually join the negotiations. But he reiterated that Israel will never agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state or to return to its 1967 borders.
Dayan concluded by thanking the Carter Administration for its role in the current negotiations. “Israel appreciates the American role in trying to resume the negotiations,” he said.
On Sunday night, Dayan will be the special guest of an Israel Bond Organization dinner of welcome at the Plaza Hotel here. During his 7-10-day visit to the U.S., which is officially for fundraising activities for the United Jewish Appeal and the Bond Organization, Dayan is expected to confer with Secretary of State Cyrus Vance. There is no indication at the moment that he and President Carter will meet, but it is not being ruled out.
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.
