Premier Menachem Begin of Israel, who arrived here late last night, has a tight schedule of meetings and public appearances during his ten-day U.S. visit.
Begin, who is resting today in his suite at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, will begin his formal activities tomorrow morning when he will attend the United Nations General Assembly’s Special Session on Disarmament to hear President Reagan’s address. Later in the day, Begin will address a special meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations at the Waldorf, where he will discuss the situation in Lebanon and Israeli plans and conditions for ending the crisis.
On Friday morning Begin will be the first speaker at the UN conference and will meet with Secretary of State Alexander Haig to discuss the Lebanese situation.
RALLY TO SUPPORT ISRAEL
The Jewish community’s solidarity and support of Israel and its invasion of Lebanon will be marked by three major events in New York, a dinner at the Pierre Hotel tomorrow night sponsored by the United Jewish Appeal and attended by several hundred Jewish leaders and other guests; a luncheon sponsored by Israel Bonds at the Waldorf on Friday and attended by more than 500 people; and a rally by some 10,000 people on Friday across from the UN, while Begin addresses the General Assembly. The rally, sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council, is to express support of Israeli actions in Lebanon and to urge continued U.S. support for the Jewish State.
Begin will be the guest of honor in both the UJA and Israel Bonds meetings and will address the audiences attending the meetings.
Begin’s visit here, which was scheduled long before the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, is underscored by the tense situation in that country and the continued hostilities around Beirut. On his arrival last night Begin termed the Israeli invasion of Lebanon as an “inherent right of self defense against those who were killing women and children,” namely, the Palestinian terrorists.
Begin is scheduled to meet in Washington next Monday with President Reagan. Reports from Washington yesterday suggested that the Reagan Administration is unhappy with the continued hostilities in Lebanon and that President Reagan might snub Begin should Israel capture the city of Beirut. But Israeli officials here said today that they know of no change in the scheduled meeting between Reagan and Begin and that they expect it to take place Monday as was originally set.
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