Cabinet to Consider Withdrawal from Kuneitra As Concession to Forthcoming Disengagement Talks

The care-taker Cabinet will consider a major territorial concession to Syria–withdrawal from the Golan Heights town of Kuneitra–when it meets in special session Tuesday, in preparation for U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger’s arrival here Thursday. While some sources believe the government will only re-affirm its past position that there can be no withdrawal from any of the territory captured in the Six-Day War within the framework of an Israeli-Syrian disengagement accord, the very fact that a Kuneitra withdrawal will be discussed is considered significant.

Kissinger is expected to try to persuade the government to be more “flexible” on Kuneitra in order to “save” the disengagement talks with Damascus. He is believed already to have made that point to Israeli Ambassador Simcha Dinitz in their recent talks in Washington. Dinitz is due here Tuesday to report on his latest contacts with the U.S. Administration on disengagement.

There were indications, meanwhile, of some support in the Cabinet for the position that withdrawal from Kuneitra might soften Syrian demands for surrender of the entire Golan Heights and open the way for disengagement talks. Some political sources claimed today that there was a sharp difference of opinion between Premier Golda Meir, who opposes relinquishing any part of the Golan Heights, and Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, who is willing to make the gesture toward Syria.

EGYPT MAY DEMAND SIMILAR GAINS

Sources pointed out that Kuneitra, the largest town on the Golan Heights, is of less strategic military value than the hills surrounding it which, presumably, Israel would insist on retaining. According to that view, a pull-back from Kuneitra would have more psychological than military impact. But other political sources warned that if Syria were to realize such an important gain as Kuneitra after six weeks of fighting on the northern front, Egypt may demand similar gains in Sinai.

These sources warned that if Kissinger is interested in maintaining stability on the Egyptian front he should refrain from offering too many concessions to the Syrians. In any event, Kissinger’s latest mission to the Middle East is viewed here with increasing skepticism following American support of a Security Council resolution last week condemning Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban has termed the resolution a “moral disgrace” because it failed to condemn the terrorist attack. He also indirectly criticized the U.S. for supporting the resolution.