President Carter strongly affirmed his opposition to a Palestinian state and his commitment that Jerusalem “will remain forever undivided” in an address to more than 700 persons attending a White House reception today marking the first anniversary of the Egyptian-Israel peace treaty. The President also made the point that “domestic politics cannot be allowed” to interfere with the peace process in the Middle East.
The celebration of the treaty signing was held three days short of the actual anniversary which falls on March 26 and two days prior to the crucial Presidential primaries in New York where Carter is in serious trouble with Jewish voters for U.S. support of the Security Council’s anti-Israel resolution of March 1, subsequently repudiated by him.
Carter said he wanted to “reaffirm two points”: “We will not negotiate or recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization until it accepts Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338” and, “We oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.”
In that context, he added, “We are committed to Jerusalem that will remain forever undivided” with free access for all faiths to the holy places. “Nothing will deflect us from these principles,” he declared. “Domestic politics cannot be allowed to create timidity or pose obstacle or delay or subvert the spirit of Camp David or imply a lack of commitment to reach our common goal,” he said.
The President referred to the separate meetings he will have in Washington next month with President Anwar Sodat of Egypt and Premier Menachem Begin of Israel. He spoke of both leaders as “my friends” and praised the “courage and vision” they showed in reaching the Camp David agreements. With respect to the upcoming discussions, he observed that they “will require courage and vision, perhaps even more, to fulfill not only the letter but the spirit of the Camp David accords.”
Carter also spoke of “legitimate rights” for the Palestinian people and said he looked toward agreements in which “the Palestinians can determine their future.” He also called for “increased security for Israel” and declared that the peace process “must succeed.”
Egypt’s Ambassador Ashraf Ghorbal, and Israel’s Ambassador Ephraim Evron followed the President on the rostrum. Ghorbal said he was looking forward to the “deadline” of May 26 for successful completion of the autonomy talks. He observed that Egypt and Israel “diligently” met their commitments and “each deadline” and forecast that “further deadlines will equally be met, not only to ourselves but those who wait patiently to see their rights honored — the Palestinian people.” He added, “Today, a stalemate looms on full autonomy for the Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza.”
In his remarks that followed, Evron said that the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty brings “benefits and obligations for all of us.” He spoke of “autonomy for the inhabitants of Judaea, Samaria and Gaza” and emphasized that “the Camp David accords are the only avenue by which we can keep the peace process moving ahead.” He said Israel’s “neighbors should realize that threats and wars solve nothing.”
In an apparent thrust at the West European nations seeking to alter Resolution 242 and considering recognition of the PLO, the Israeli envoy said “We shall not be deflected by either our old allies or adversaries from the path of peace we have chosen.”
According to White House sources, the more than 700 persons who attended the reception was greater than the number expected. They were mainly American Jews and non-Jews, Israelis and Egyptians and a number of Arab-Americans. All mingled cordially after the round of speeches.
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