Former Texas Governor John Connally, a declared candidate for the 1980 Republican Presidential nomination, today outlined a nine-point plan to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Discarding the Camp David accords, which he said are now “without form or effect, ” Connally urged the U.S. to adopt “a for more forceful American diplomacy” and start “a new process toward peace by presenting to the parties a new set of principles that will be the building blocks to a fair and comprehensive settlement.”
Connally unveiled his plan in a 4000-word address at the Washington Press Club, the first extensive discussion covering the major elements in the Middle East by any Presidential aspirant. He called for Israel’s withdrawal to its pre-1967 borders except for “minor” changes, a permanent U.S. military presence in the Middle East and a flow of cheaper oil from the “moderate” Arab oil producing states in the return for Israel’s withdrawal.
SHADES OF THE ROGERS PLAN
In broad aspects, the Connally plan appeared to be the Rogers Plan of December 1969, proposed by the then Secretary of State William P. Rogers, plus U.S. military guarantees with support from the NATO countries and Japan and an assured petroleum output for the industrialized world at stable prices.
Connally said “The only basis for a Middle East peace settlement is a balanced agreement which meets Israel’s requirements for peace and security within recognized borders and Arab requirements for the evacuation of their territories occupied in the 1967 war and some form of Palestinian self-determination.”
Connally indicated that his views were inspired by the letter earlier this year to Israeli Premier Menachem Begin by “a number of America’s most prominent Jewish leaders and intellectuals ” that, he said, urged Begin ” To abandon his policy of creeping annexation of the West Bank by means of his settlement program.”
Connally added, “These leaders called Mr. Begin’s West Bank policy ‘morally unacceptable and perilous to the democratic character of the Jewish State.’ ” He observed that “Unfortunately, very serious doubts have arisen over whether the present Israeli government intends, to return the remaining occupied territories, particularly the West Bank. ” He maintained that his plan “would meet the basic criteria” of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 which “must remain the bedrock of future Arab-Israeli negotiations regardless of the forum and parties engaged. “
THE NINE POINTS OUTLINED
The Texas political leader who switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party and served as Secretary of the Treasury during the Nixon Administration, proposed the following points.
“Except for minor border rectifications mutually agreed upon, Israel must withdraw from the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights, all of which will be demilitarized. Israel would, however, be permitted to lease military strong points in each of these areas.”
All Israeli civilian settlements must be withdrawn from those areas.
“The Palestinian people should decide for themselves whether they prefer the West Bank and Gaza to be governed as an entirely independent entity or to be an autonomous area within the Kingdom of Jordan. “
The future of Jerusalem must meet criteria which would include access to all holy places, while the sovereignty would be based on “residence patterns” or “a dual sovereignty for the entire municipal region. If the negotiations are deadlocked after six months, the U.S. should step in to mediate” the differences.
“A customs union between Israel and the Palestinian homeland and possibly other states” should be established.
“A joint Israel-Palestinian development bank should be established in Jerusalem” with support by the Arab Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries members, Western Europe, Japan and the U.S.
“We must secure a clear understanding” from Saudi Arabia and other oil producers of a return to “stable” oil prices. “The Arabs must, in short, foresake the oil weapon in return for Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories.”
“The U.S. should organize a treaty alliance to cover the Middle East” as a guarantee of the ultimate settlement and to protect the oil fields from “Soviet or terrorist interference. ” The alliance should include Israel, the moderate Arab states, NATO and Japan.
“Finally, it should be clear” that military and economic stability in the Middle East is a prerequisite to peace because “the Israelis understandably will not give up the Golan Heights, the West Bank and the military security they provide. “
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
