Cabinet Discusses Uar Plan; Uar May Not Call for Council Meeting, Withdrawal Timetable

The Cabinet met in special session today to discuss Egypt’s reply to Israel’s peace proposals. The discussion will be continued at the next Cabinet session which is expected to be held as usual on Sunday. The Egyptian reply reached Jerusalem this morning from Israel’s United Nations Ambassador Yosef Tekoah who received it from UN mediator Gunnar Jarring. It was presented to the Cabinet by Foreign Minister Abba Eban who reported on his contacts with Jarring. No details of the Egyptian reply were disclosed here. (In New York, sources at the United Nations said that the Egyptian response handed to Dr. Jarring last Friday did not contain any stipulation calling for a Security Council meeting before Feb. 5, contrary to earlier indications that they would, and contained no stipulation for an Israeli withdrawal timetable as a condition for continuing the cease-fire beyond its Feb. 5 expiration date. According to some observers, the reported omissions were seen as tactical rather than basic changes in the Egyptian position. Some sources, who noted that the two omissions could not be immediately confirmed felt that if the report was correct the omissions may have been prompted by the Soviet Union.)

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned from unofficial sources that the Egyptians avoided an outright rejection of the Israeli proposals so that it will not bear the onus should the Jarring talks collapse. One source said, “We are continuing our secret diplomacy and we are optimistic.” (At the UN, Tekoah said yesterday Israel would study Egypt’s reply “very carefully.”) (The Israel Embassy in Washington refused to comment on the authenticity of purported excerpts from the Israeli peace plan published today in several newspapers in the U. S. and abroad. The State Department as well had no comment. The JTA learned that Arab sources may have leaked information on the Israeli memorandum to some correspondents.) (CBS Radio Network correspondent Bruno Wasserteil reported from Tel Aviv yesterday that Russia has been putting pressure on Egypt to tone down its sabre-rattling posture and to shelve for the time being, its demand for an Israeli withdrawal timetable. According to Wasserteil, it was Moscow that influenced Egypt last week not to reject completely the Israeli proposals conveyed by Jarring. The correspondent said that Soviet pressure for moderation stemmed from a desire to avoid an unnecessary military showdown with Israel and to keep U.S. -Soviet relations from deteriorating further.)

Sources here said the Egyptians continue to insist on total Israeli withdrawal from all occupied territories. But they say that intelligence reaching Israel indicates that President Anwar Sadat will continue the Suez cease-fire unofficially after Feb. 5. The sources said that Sadat was influenced by Soviet President Nikolai Podgorny, who visited Egypt last week, to agree to a one-month truce extension, though without making a formal commitment. The Egyptians meanwhile have started what they apparently intend to be a war of nerves against Israeli forces occupying the east bank of the Suez Canal. Egyptian soldiers engage in amphibious exercises in full view of Israeli troops every morning. The exercises are obviously part of a training program for a cross-canal attack. The Egyptians practice with rubber boats and landing craft carrying tanks. The daily maneuvers are carried out in the central sector of the canal zone opposite Ismailia. The Egyptians are also engaged in extensive construction work along the canal and have built outposts facing Israeli positions. Finance Minister Pinhas Sapir said in a radio interview to day that Israel’s record $2,1 billion defense budget for fiscal 1971 would stand even if the truce was to continue indefinitely and even if there was a peace settlement. Sapir said, “If we want to keep the peace we must remain strong and to remain strong one has to have equipment and more equipment.”