Cabinet Decides Not to Support Knesset Bill Calling for the Annexation of Golan Heights

The Cabinet has decided not to support a Knesset bill calling for annexation of the Golan Heights. A majority of the ministers voted to ask the Knesset to kill the measure when it is formally submitted by its author, Geula Cohen of the Ultra-nationalist Tehiya faction, on Wednesday.

Cabinet Secretary Arye Noor told reporters after the Cabinet meeting that the government felt that the proposed bill would not change the security situation but would cause Israel political embarrassment. The U.S. and other friendly countries have been urging the government not to back the bill. U.S. special Ambassador So. Linowitz publicly cautioned against it when he was in Jerusalem last week.

Last Friday, the U.S. State Department declared, with reference to the Golan bill, “Our view has been and remains that the annexation of the Golan Heights or in fact any of the territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 war would be contrary to United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 on which the Comp David accords and all Middle East peace negotiations since 1967 have been based.” The statement added that “a move to annex would be profoundly disruptive to our joint efforts with others in the area to achieve a comprehensive Middle East peace.”

Cabinet sources reported that several ministers had stressed that annexation of the Golan now would rule out the possibility of peace negotiations with Syria at a later date. Some said it would bolster support for President Hafez Assad of Syria in the Arab world which is beginning to cool toward him because of his close ties with the Soviet Union.

Naor repeated Israel’s position that the Golan Heights must remain in its hands for security reasons and that its future status should be decided in eventual peace talks with Syria. Meanwhile, he said, Israeli settlements on the Golan Heights should be increased and existing settlements strengthened.

MAIN SUPPORT FOR THE BILL

The main support for Cohen’s bill comes from the Golan settlers and the various kibbutz movements that represent them. The opposition Labor Party came under considerable pressure from its kibbutz movements at its national convention last week to back annexation. The party’s stand to date has been equivocal. Victor Shemtov, chairman of Mapam, Labor’s alignment partner, warned party chairman Shimon Peres yesterday that if Labor votes for the Golan bill, an alignment crisis would be inevitable.

Before the Cabinet decision, Likud had not formulated a position. Representatives of the religious settlements on the Golan were scheduled to meet today with the National Religious Party’s Knesset faction to urge them to support the bill.

Cabinet sources said the Likud coalition would probably seek a discussion with Labor for a joint position on the Golan bill. Cohen; who also authored the controversial Jerusalem Low, passed by the Knesset last July is expected to press her Golan bill.