Belgin Demands Government Resign; Eban Says Knesset Must Approve Any Withdrawal

Gahal leader Menachem Beigin today demanded that the government resign ” for having betrayed the trust of the people.” Presenting a motion for the agenda on the proposed interim agreement between Israel and the Egyptians, and a possible pull-back from the Suez Canal, Beigin stated that the government has decided to retreat despite the fact that it does not have the constitutional power to do so. He said that the Knesset, and coalition factions themselves, have voted to remain on the June, 1967 cease-fire lines until a formal peace treaty is signed between the countries involved in the Middle East crisis. Foreign Minister Abba Eban replied for the government and assured the House that no decision on withdrawal would be made without the prior approval of the Knesset. He said that Israel would only agree to a pull-back from the canal zone providing that the following conditions were met a total cessation of belligerency in the area that no Egyptian or other military units be allowed to cross over onto the eastern bank of the canal; that Israeli defense projects which have been constructed in the area be protected, and that any pull-back from the canal zone must not be used as a lever to pressure Israel into further withdrawals.

The Foreign Minister contended that the benefits to be reaped from an interim agreement were numerous. Firstly, the reopening of the canal would necessarily mean that Israeli ships would be allowed to use the vital waterway, and secondly, if the canal was opened normal economic life on both banks could be fully restored, a factor which would greatly facilitate the establishment of peace between the sides. Even if the interim agreement failed. Eban said, Israel would have at least demonstrated once again that it is striving for peace in the area. With regard to the Rogers’ mission, Eban said that it was still alive and that consultations between the sides were continuing under the auspices of the American government. He said that at present, peace was Israel’s major national aim, and claimed that every Israeli initiative to bring about a peaceful settlement to the Middle East conflict had been met with a flat ‘no’ by Beigin and his party. ” This incessant intransigence and perpetually negative policy will have tragic international consequences,” Eban said, Peace could not be attained in one step, he said. Peace was a gradual process which had to be achieved stage by stage. One of these stages was the interim agreement.