Begin Decides Not to Submit to the Knesset a Draft Measure Forbidding Dismantling More Jewish Settle

Premier Menachem Begin has withdrawn his original intention to submit to the Knesset a draft resolution forbidding the abandonment of Jewish settlements in any future peace negotiations with Arab states. Begin’s change of mind was confirmed at today’s Cabinet session, where a large majority of the ministers approved the Premier’s proposal that he merely incorporate a statement to this effect in the course of his speech opening the summer session of the Knesset tomorrow.

Only Education Minister Zevulun Hammer of the National Religious Party, who originally proposed the resolution, and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon voted against Begin. They urged him to submit the draft resolution as he originally planned.

Begin explained that he changed his mind in view of the Labor opposition’s determination not to support the draft resolution. Labor Party chairman Shimon Peres informed Begin last Friday of his party’s position.

Peres said the resolution was “untimely” and that Labor did not want to have its hands tied if and when it returns to power and negotiates with the Arabs. At the same time, Peres said a Labor-led government, in such negotiations, would “fight” for Jewish settlements to remain where they are in any political solution. “We are not contractors to dismantle Jewish settlements,” Pere declared in an effort to counter Begin’s assertion that the Labor opposition held an anti-settlement position.

The Premier, for his part, decided not to submit the resolution to the Knesset because he did not want it passed by only a slim majority. The main purpose of the draft resolution was to assert to world public opinion that the withdrawal from Yamit was not a precedent for the West Bank and the Golan Heights. Were the resolution to be adopted by a small majority, the effect of that assertion would be significantly weakened.