Britain Promises to Oppose Eec Interference in Mideast Peace Talks

The official portion of Israeli Premier Menachem Begin’s visit to England ended last night with a promise by Britain to oppose interference by the European Economic Community (EEC) in Middle East peace negotiations. The pledge, in an after dinner speech by Prime Minister James Callaghan, followed an appeal by the Israeli leader that the European nations should not make proclamations and suggestions which might endanger Israel’s population.

Instead, Begin urged, they should give the forthcoming negotiations between Israel and Egypt a chance to succeed. He asked Callaghan, who was going to Brussels today, to assure his EEC colleagues that Israel would do her best to make an agreement possible.

In reply, Callaghan told Begin he would tell his EEC partners that at this moment, countries which were not directly concerned in the Arab-Israel conflict, should refrain from “stridently advancing solutions.”

Callaghan’s positive reaction set the seal on what both the British and the Israeli participants acknowledged as an outstandingly successful visit. Begin had not only overcome many historic tensions in Anglo-Israeli relations, he had also convinced Britain of Israel’s good faith in seeking a comprehensive settlement of the conflict with the Arabs.

The mood was reflected at last night’s dinner given by Begin and his wife, Aliza, both in the speeches and in the guest list. Besides other members of the British Cabinet and opposition leaders, it included two former British Prime Ministers, Edward Heath and Sir Harold Wilson. The men all wore yarmulkas as Chief Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits Kindled the first Chanukah candle and led the singing of Maoz Tzur.

AMITY BETWEEN BEGIN, CALLAGHAN

Begin’s speech called for a revival of the spirit of the Balfour Declaration, explained Israel’s over-riding need for security, recalled Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem and looked forward to the day when the Middle East would be at peace.

Callaghan, referring to the “special intimacy” between Israel and Britain, said that the day of talks he had held with Begin was one of the most hopeful he had spent in many years in discussing the Middle East. So often in the past he had come away “baffled by procedure,” he said, and now at last, they were discussing the substance of the Arab-Israel conflict.

Praising Begin for his “charm, single-mindedness, tenacity and faithfulness to your people” Callaghan noted that there were also “painful memories” in Anglo-Israeli relations. But the British people had always shown a remarkable capacity for reconciliation, he said.

Begin, recalling the formation by Britain–at the request of Zeev Jabotinsky–of the Jewish Legion during World War I to fight for the liberation of Palestine and the impact which it had had all over the Jewish world, said: “Let us renew the spirit of those days.” Today, too, Britain and Israel shared common ideals of parliamentary democracy, individual liberty and social justice, Begin said. The free world, to which they both belonged, was shrinking. “Let us defend in together,” he said.

Begin today began a round of intensive engagements with the Jewish community, political groups and the media. This morning he briefed about 80 Jewish leaders from Britain and Ireland on prospects for peace following the Sadat visit to Jerusalem. He then toured the House of Commons, and later initiated a world-wide Soviet Jewry week by kindling. Chanukah lights at Saint John’s Wood Synagogue.

He told the audience at the synagogue that world Jewry would continue to campaign on behalf of Soviet Jews who want to emigrate to Israel. Recalling the origin of Chanukah, the persecution of Jews over the centuries and the Nazi Holocaust, Begin declared: “Now that there is a land of Israel, the rulers of the Kremlin should hear that we Jews will not rest until every Jew in the Soviet Union who wants to do so is allowed to go to Israel to live in freedom with his brethren. . .” In the evening he was guest of honor at a Joint Israel Appeal dinner.