Foreign Minister Hans Van der Broek of Holland called today for the “abolition” of Israel’s “settlement policy” in the occupied territories. He told reporters, after a meeting with Premier Menachem Begin, that the settlements were an area of difference between the Western European nations and Israel.
Nevertheless, the Dutch diplomat noted at his press conference that there was an overall improvement in the atmosphere of Israel-European relations as a result of the Israel-Lebanon withdrawal agreement signed last May 17.
He pointed out that the heads of government of the 10 European Economic Community (EEC) countries, at their summit meeting in Stuttgart last month, welcomed the Israel-Lebanon accord and decided to lift the economic sanctions the EEC imposed on Israel when it invaded Lebanon in June, 1982.
Israeli sources said Van der Broek’s meeting with Begin this morning had been low key and cordial. The two men reviewed the Lebanon situation and overall prospects for Middle East peace. Begin stressed Israel’s intention to “redeploy” its forces in Lebanon, “in consultation” with the United States, the sources said. (See separate story.)
Van der Broek expressed appreciation for the thanks his Israeli host offered Holland with respect to its representation of Israeli interests in the Soviet Union, with which Israel has no diplomatic ties. The Dutch minister also noted that Israeli Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir had welcomed Holland’s efforts within the EEC to protect the interests of Israel and other Mediterranean states in the context of the entry of Spain and Portugal into the European Common Market, now scheduled for January, 1986.
DIFFER OVER COMPREHENSIVE PEACE EFFORTS
Van der Broek conferred at length with Shamir yesterday. It was learned that the Dutch minister expressed doubts over the “bilateral” approach to Mideast peace-making, citing the “cold peace” that now prevails between Israel and Egypt and the Israel-Lebanon accord which cannot be implemented because of Syria’s objections to it.
In response to Van der Broek’s suggestion that more comprehensive approaches to peace involving a broader Arab concensus should be tried, Shamir contended that the involvement of several Arab parties together would inevitably produce a “lowest common denominator” reflecting the most uncompromising position among them. He insisted that the Camp David autonomy talks, suspended, he said, through no fault of Israel, still offered the best way to a stable solution of the Palestinian problem.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Claude Cheysson, currently visiting the Middle East, stopped over in Jerusalem for five hours today. Cheysson came here directly from Damascus where he reportedly discussed ways and means to end the Lebanon stalemate with Syrian leaders. But he had no statement for reporters on either his arrival or departure.
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