Behind the Headlines Peres’ Peace Proposals in Knesset Seen As Positive Signal to Jordan

Premier Shimon Peres sent some positive signals to Jordan and the Palestinians in his political statement to the Knesset Monday, outlining Israel’s ideas for peace negotiations, informed sources said.

At the same time, his remarks reflected the political constraints under which he operates as head of a Labor-Likud national unity government, the sources said.

One of the positive elements cited was the Premier’s assertion that the full autonomy prescribed by the Camp David agreements for the administered territories would indeed be far-reaching autonomy. He also referred pointedly to his government’s adoption of its own policy toward Jewish settlements in the territories. He encouraged authentic Palestinian representatives from the territories to participate in the peace process.

His reference to “its own policy” with respect to settlements was seen as a reminder that since taking office last September, the Peres government has established no new settlements in the West Bank. “The government has adopted its own policy vis-a-vis the quality of life in the territories and regarding the settlements, “Peres said.”This policy takes into account not only Israel’s prerogatives but also the feelings of the inhabitants of the territories.”

SEEKS TO ENCOURAGE MODERATE PALESTINIANS

Informed sources explained that the reference to “authentic” Palestinian representatives from the territories was intended to encourage West Bank moderates such as Mayor Elias Freij of Bethlehem and Hikmat El-Masri of Nablus that even if other Palestinians are brought into the negotiating process by the U.S., Israel will insist that they too join.

The tenor of Peres’ remarks addressed to King Hussein of Jordan were also notably positive. The Premier took pains not to dismiss the possibility that Hussein’s rather vague pronouncements in Washington last month may have indeed opened new paths toward peace — as the Reagan Administration has contended.

While Peres reiterated Israel’s opposition to the U.S. sale of advanced weapons to Jordan, he linked those objections to Jordan’s positions toward the peace process and the fact that it maintains a state of belligerency with Israel. Peres appeared to be urging the Jordanian king to be more forthright and unequivocal in his diplomatic moves while not opposing Jordan’s arms requests from the U.S. per se.

DEBATE WITH U.S. NOT HIDDEN

Peres did not gloss over the “debate” Israel is having with Washington on “the composition” of the projected joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation. But as in his letter to Secretary of State George Shultz last week, he stopped short of outright rejection of all members of the Palestine National Council as possible negotiating partners. The U.S. is willing to negotiate with PNC men who are not known members of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The position most vociferously expressed by Likud politicians, is that the PNC and PLO are one and the same.

Much of Peres’ statement was devoted to underscoring his determination to move ahead on the bilateral front with Egypt before venturing into the broader peace process involving Jordan and the Palestinians.

In remarks addressed to President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Peres declared: “The resolution of the problems between us does not constitute only a contribution to the past, but is also in the nature of a contribution to the future. This is not only a contribution to Egyptian-Israeli relations but also a contribution to the peace momentum.”

EGYPT PRIORITY FOR PERES

Informed sources said Egypt is now the most urgent item on Peres’ policy agenda. He intended, they said, to bring a “package deal”, including the Taba border dispute, to the inner cabinet for approval in the next few weeks. The inner cabinet is composed of five Labor and five Likud ministers.

Peres is expected to press hard for a decision in favor of international arbitration to resolve the Taba dispute. This has long been demanded by Egypt while Israel favored conciliation. In return for Israel’s acquiescence on that issue, Egypt would be expected to return its Ambassador to Tel Aviv and thaw out the “cold peace” generally.

Peres is said to believe that a settlement of bilateral issues with Egypt, leading to a summit meeting between himself and Mubarak, would create a positive atmosphere in broad sections of Israeli public opinion which would make it easier to attempt talks with a Jordanian-Palestinian delegation in quest of a comprehensive peace settlement.