President Carter said today constituted “a moving occasion and a contribution to the cause of peace.” The President, who watched the entire two -hour and 10-minute proceeding, said it was characterized by “candor and conciliation.” He added: “In that spirit we hope and believe it is possible to move toward a lasting peace.” Jody Powell, Presidential news secretary, indicated that there will be no interpretation of today’s event until after the Sadat-Begin talks are concluded tomorrow.
Carter attended a special early morning church service to pray for the success of Sadat’s mission to Israel. He cancelled his usual Sunday morning participation in the regular Sunday service and his teaching Sunday school in order to watch the Knesset proceedings at the White House. In a statement Last night, the President said: “The hopes and prayers of all Americans are with those two men (Sadat and Begin) as they seek progress towards peace for the people of the Middle east and, indeed, for the entire world.”Talking to reporters after today’s church service, Carter said he thought that Sadat’s visit might help overcome Syria’s refusal to deal with Israel. “he (Sadat )does not want Syria left out of the negotiations,” the President said: He added that he does not believe that Egypt and Israel will reach a separate peace agreement.
Carter said that perhaps peace had not been reached in the Mideast so for because the leaders in the area and in the United States had not been aggressive enough in their diplomacy and had lagged behind the desire of their people.
BEGIN, SADAT APPLAUDED FOR THEIR COURAGE
Vice President Walter Mondale likened today’s event in Jerusalem as being “the words again of Genesis 33 of the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau. “He said President Sadat and Premier Begin have planted “a seed ” for peace in the Middle East/
Addressing some 600 delegates at the annual meeting this afternoon of the B’nai B’rith Anti Defamation League at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Supreme Court, Cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, leaders of the opposition parties and the leaders of the various religious sects–Druze, Copts, Moslems in their traditional garb. He embraced Moslem clergymen from Israel and the West Bank and had a hearty greeting for former Mayor Sheikh Mohammed Ali el-Jaabari of Hebron.
He stopped to chat briefly with U.S. Ambassador Samuel Lewis, the self-described “postman” who forwarded Begin’s invitation to Sadat to Cairo. He greeted Gen. Ensio Siilasvuo, commander of United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East. At the end of the ceremonials, Sadat entered President Katzir’s car and with Begin, in a second car, the official convoy drove to Jerusalem.
UNPRECEDENTED EXCITEMENT, ANTICIPATION
Although Ben Gurion Airport has witnessed the arrival of Presidents, Prime Ministers and ruling monarchs of many nations, the scene there last night exceeded all past occasions in terms of excitement and anticipation, according to veteran observers. Security precautions were tighter and more extensive than ever before. Tens of thousands of soldiers, police and border police were stationed at the airport and its environs.
All roads leading to it were sealed off. Helicopters by the dozens circled overhead and several made repeated low level patrols of the flood-lighted landing strip beginning long before Sadat’s plane was due. All incoming and outgoing flights were suspended but the hundreds of delayed passengers didn’t seem to mind for they were witnesses, albeit at some considerable distance, to an historic world event.
Thousands of representatives of the mass media, in addition to what appeared to be the entire Fourth Estate of Israel and Egypt, waited behind police barricades for the climactic moment. Sadat’s arrival was televised and broadcast world-wide via satellite.
There were no political statements made by either Sadat or his hosts at the airport. But the massed colors–the blue and white of Israel, the red, white and black Egyptian tri-color and the many hued regimental banners of Israel’s armed forces mingling in the breeze-registered a statement of their own.
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