With the Presidents Conference in Israel: U.S. Envoy Says the American Embassy Should Have Been Move

U.S. Ambassador Samuel Lewis said here that he regards Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and knows it is an “affront” to Israel to have the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv rather than in Jerusalem. It should have been moved there in the 1950s, Lewis said.

The U.S. envoy made his remarks to 70 American Jewish leaders representing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations at a dinner at the Jerusalem Hilton Tuesday night. He explained that over the years it had become difficult for the U.S. to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem because of the belief that the move would harm the U.S. ability to make peace in the Middle East.

The situation could be resolved eventually only through a peace agreement that included a section on Jerusalem, Lewis said. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing next week on a resolution by Sen. Daniel Moynihan (D. NY) asking that the embassy be moved to Jerusalem.

The U.S. has up to now refused to recognize Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem which it regards as an issue subject to negotiation. This has caused embarrassment on many occasions when ranking American officials have refused to meet with Israel government officials who have their offices in East Jerusalem. No American official has visited East Jerusalem in other than a private capacity.

Lewis denied charges made to the visiting Americans by Deputy Premier David Levy Tuesday that the U.S. failed to consult with Israel on its moves in Lebanon. “We don’t always do it so well,” he said referring to consultations. “We have done it well or better with Israel than with any of our other friends,” he added.

Responding to a question, Lewis said the U.S. plans to “underscore” to West Germany the significance of the deep feelings expressed during the visit of Chancellor Helmut Kohl to Israel against the proposed sale of German arms to Saudi Arabia. He said the U.S. could not oppose the sale because Saudi Arabia was its main arms purchaser. But it could express its concern about the effect it could have on relations between its close friends, Lewis said.