The Cabinet began its fateful debate today over the formulation of answers to two key questions posed by President Carter to Premier Menachem Begin about Israel’s peace plan. The questions concern the sovereignty issue on the West Bank after the five year period of “self rule” and the means by which Israel intends to grant political self-expression to the Palestinians.
Cabinet Secretary Arye Naor said, after today’s session that the debate will be concluded at the next session on Monday, June 12. The Cabinet will not meet next Sunday because of the Shavuot holiday. He also disclosed that Begin, Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan and Defense Minister Ezer Weizman had reserved their opinions until the next Cabinet meeting. Apparently they intend to hold private consultation on a formulation to be presented to the full Cabinet.
Begin and Dayan conferred for more than an hour at Begin’s residence Thursday evening in an effort to resolve reported differences between them on how Israel should reply to the American questions. Dayan was said to be proposing “new ideas” and is believed to favor a greater role for Jordan under the proposed “self rule” plan. But he told reporters, after his meeting with Begin, that he had not suggested any substantial changes.
At today’s Cabinet session sharply divergent views were reported to have been expressed. Reliable sources said that Transport Minister Meir Amit of the Democratic Movement for Change (DMC) spoke out in favor of “positive” responses to the U.S. in both tone and substance. But Herut ministers rejected any concessions by Israel at this time and urged a vaguely worded response to the U.S.
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