Dayan Says He Takes ‘quite Seriously’ Egypt’s Threat to Renew Fighting

Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Dayan said yesterday that he takes “quite seriously” Egyptian threats to renew the fighting along the Suez Canal front, Speaking in Hebrew to Israeli newsmen and to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent after a 90-minute meeting with Secretary of State William P. Rogers, Dayan said the Egyptians could start shooting at any time, but he expressed the hope that they would not begin before Pres. Nixon made his trip to Moscow in May.

Dayan said that from a “logical point of view” the renewal of hostilities or the continuation of the status quo had to be “less agreeable” to Egypt than the beginning of political discussions. But, he added, he didn’t know if the Egyptians felt the same way. Dayan expressed doubt that the United Nations Middle East mediator Dr. Gunnar V. Jarring mission was the proper channel for the resumption of peace talks since Israel will not agree to Dr. Jarring’s request Feb. 8. 1971, that Israel withdraw from occupied territories before the resumption of negotiations, and Egypt continues to demand that Israel do so.

ADMINISTRATION PRAISED FOR AID TO ISRAEL

Under the circumstances, he implied, the only alternative was the “interim agreement initiative.” But he noted that he did not know how Egypt felt about such talks at this time. The Defense Minister told newsmen that in his talks with Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird earlier in the day he had discussed the sale of American arms to Israel and “generally speaking, Israel is satisfied, more or less.”

Dayan also expressed his gratitude to the Nixon administration for having made it possible for Israel to develop and maintain a military capacity to defend itself. In response to questions, Dayan flatly denied a story in Haaretz that he had brought to Washington for discussion with American officials a new plan for reopening the Suez Canal.

Haaretz had reported that Dayan would tell American officials that Israel was agreeable to permitting Egypt to reopen the canal without first reaching a peace agreement with Israel, but that Israel would maintain its positions on the Barlev line along the canal’s eastern shore. Dayan said he had not brought any new ideas to Washington. “The old ones are still good,” he commented. “We want peace and I hope the two sides will compromise while negotiating.”