Deputy Premier Yigal Allon claimed last night that Israel has an historic claim to all of Palestine–“the land of Israel”–but was prepared to make territorial concessions in the interests of a genuine, lasting peace settlement. Mr. Allon addressed the convention of the Israel Archaeological Society at Salad in Upper Galilee. He said the government was in complete accord on the location of new settlements in the occupied areas including Hebron, the Rajah area of the Gaza Strip and northern Sinai, as well as the Golan Heights. Addressing the 50th jubilee festival at Kibbutz Degania Bet. Mr. Allon said Friday that the Israeli government would do its utmost to continue the cease-fire “and to bring peace nearer. We are in the midst of a struggle over the map of the future Israel. Much tribute is to be paid to the military strength of Israel,” he added, “but colonization will be of no less an important factor in shaping the new maps.” Mr. Allon said that this was reason for the importance of Israeli settlements in the Arava region, the Golan Heights, the Hebron area, Raffah and the Jordan River Valley. He said this settlement project was a major challenge for the kibbutz movement, “a challenge no less decisive than 50 years ago.”
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