A senior Palestinian official said today that the Palestine Liberation Organization accepts UN Security Council Resolution 242, thus “implicitly recognizing Israel’s right to exist.
Dr. Issam Sartawi, described as a personal adviser to PLO chief Yasir Arafat, told a press conference that the PLO “rejects only that part a the resolution which speaks of the Palestinians as refugees without recognizing their legitimate rights, but fully accepts the rest of the text.”
Last week Sartawi had indicated that the PLO is prepared to recognize Israel “on a basis of reciprocity.” Today, as he went a step further, hi regretted America’s failure to respond to our overtures.” However, he said the appointment of George Shultz as Secretary of State was a “positive factor,” which might indicate that Washington “now plans to conduct a better balanced policy” in the Middle East.
REJECTS ROLE FOR KISSINGER
The Palestinian-born, 44-year-old cardiologist who has served since 1977 as the PLO’ contact with the Israeli peace camp, emphatically rejected any future role for former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in the search for a Middle East diplomatic solution.
Referring to reports from Washington that Shultz might ask Kissinger to assist the State Department in some diplomatic capacity, Sartawi said “He is not morally qualified.” He charged that Kissinger “had always been partial and blatantly pro-Israeli.”
Sartawi also said that the “Kissinger clause,” the promise given to Israel not to negotiate with the PLO before it recognizes Israel, is simply anti-constitutional .” He said the promise could not be binding on the new Administration as it “subordinates America’s foreign contacts to the will and desires of a third party,” namely Israel.
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.
