Foreign Minister Yigal Allon summoned U.S. Ambassador Samuel Lewis to the Foreign Ministry today to express Israel’s concern over recent statements by President Carter on the elements of a Middle East peace settlement. Allon reportedly told the envoy that Israel was disturbed by the injection of new factors into a possible peace formula that went beyond Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.
He was apparently alluding to White House statements last week that referred to the General Assembly’s Palestine resolutions of 1947 and 1948 which were not and cannot now be a basis for negotiations, according to Israeli sources. Allon reportedly stressed to Lewis that only 242 and 338 can constitute the basis for a settlement, a position reaffirmed by Allon and Premier Yitzhak Rabin at Sunday’s Cabinet meeting.
On the surface at least there appeared to be no disagreement between Allon and Lewis. The Ambassador gave assurances that the U.S. adheres to its traditional position that the two Security Council resolutions are the only appropriate framework for peace negotiations acceptable to Israel and the U.S.
Israel’s relations with Washington were discussed by Likud’s number two man, Simha Ehrlich, at a press conference in Tel Aviv today. He said he was concerned by Carter’s recent statements but hoped that once Carter meets Likud leader Menachem Begin Carter would “change his mind.”
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