Premier Yitzhak Shamir pictured Israel Monday as standing firm against the Palestinian uprising and efforts to maneuver it into unacceptable diplomatic scenarios, despite a hostile press abroad and signs of faithlessness by the United States.
In a statement to the Knesset opening a political debate, Shamir offered a dour assessment of developments since his return from the United States last week and the announcement that U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz will visit the region again, starting April 3.
But he spoke glowingly of the American Jewish community, which he said has “come out in their masses to express support and solidarity for the State of Israel and its prime minister” despite efforts to split U.S. Jewry by “hostile elements” he did not identify.
The debate concluded with a vote to refer the peace issue to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. But there was no vote on the premier’s positions. The Labor Party and Likud agreed in advance on this matter to prevent further exposure of the deep rift between the two principal components of the unity coalition government.
Shamir was particularly indignant over the meeting in Washington Saturday between Shultz and two members of the Palestine National Council, which Israel considers part and parcel of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
The Palestinian-born American academicians with whom Shultz conferred, Professors Edward Said of Columbia University and Ibrahim Abu-Lughod of Northwestern University, “are members of the PLO to all intents and purposes,” Shamir said.
He noted that the council was “the body that approved the infamous Palestine Covenant,” which calls for Israel’s destruction. “It is the supreme body of the terror organizations,” Shamir said.
He called the meeting a breach of the 1975 memorandum of understanding between Israel and the United States in which the Americans pledged to have no contact whatever with representatives of the PLO until it met specific conditions, including the recognition of Israel’s right to exist.
That view appears to be shared by Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, leader of the Labor Party.
URGED NOT TO ‘CAVE IN’
Shamir said that during his visit to the United States, American Jews urged him not to surrender to pressure or to cave in to “the media which are hostile to Israel.” He said they also fully support the government’s actions to suppress violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
“The vast bulk of the great Jewish community identifies with Israel and supports us,” Shamir said. “This is a vital wall of support for us and we must guard it and preserve it.”
With respect to the Arab uprising, Shamir said Israel would stand firm “until the rabble-users realize that they cannot achieve anything by these means, apart from suffering and bereavement.” Shamir sent greetings to the Jewish settlers in the territories, urging them “to be strong and firm.”
Shamir warned Israeli Arabs preparing to observe Land Day on Wednesday to “preserve peace” and not to be drawn into violence by “inciters.”
Land Day will mark the 12th anniversary of Arab protests against the expropriation of Arab land in Galilee by the Israel Defense Force.
NO NATION WANTS PEACE MORE
Reiterating that “No nation wants peace so much as the people of Israel,” Shamir told the Knesset that he had expressed his strong reservations to Reagan administration officials in Washington against an international peace conference as proposed by Shultz.
“Any attempt to substitute for direct negotiations, whether by an international conference or proposals that ignore our future and security cannot succeed,” Shamir declared.
However, he said he was amenable to a “ceremonial” presence of the United States and the Soviet Union at the formal opening of negotiations.
The premier also insisted that negotiations over the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip can begin only after implementation of an agreement reached on interim self-government or autonomy for the Palestinians in the territories.
The Shultz plan calls for final status talks to start regardless of whether interim arrangements have been concluded.
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