Agriculture Minister Ariel Sharon returned yesterday from a visit to the U.S. convinced that it is seeking the creation of a Palestinian state and that Israel must vigorously opposed such a policy. He insisted that he was not interfering in American domestic politics when he exhorted Jewish leaders in New York last week to “stand up” to the Carter Administration.
Sharon told reporters at Ben Gurion Airport, “Four years ago I did not call for supporting Carter and now I did not call to vote against him. All I did was to convey a clear-cut reminder that the existence of Jerusalem and Israel and their security are not an internal American affair. They are the life and death question for Israel. I told the American Jews that it was time to speak of this in clear, loud voices,” he said.
Sharon’s remarks while in the U.S. prompted Minister of Trade and Industry Gidoon Patt to question Premier Menachem Begin yesterday as to whether the Agriculture Minister’s statements did not jeopardize Israel’s case. Begin suggested that any discussion of the matter should be held in Sharon’s presence. It may be taken up at next Sunday’s Cabinet meeting.
While in the U.S., Sharon met with Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, special Ambassador to the Mideast Sol Linowitz, and other American figures. He said on his return that neither the Americans he spoke with nor the American Jewish community is aware of the facts of the situation with respect to the settlements. They lack maps and material which explain the importance of the settlements, he said, adding: “I regard this as a failure of our information campaign. We must present our case in bold, true facts and this will help us out of the present situation.”
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.
