Eban Hints Egyptian Ending of Cease-fire Would Wreck Jarring Talks

Foreign Minister Abba Eban hinted here tonight that if Egypt resumed fighting on the Suez Canal cease-fire line when the current United States-sponsored truce runs out next Friday, the Israel-Arab talks under Gunnar Jarring at the United Nations would probably collapse. The Egyptians have refused formally to commit themselves to an extension of the cease-fire during the current indirect negotiations at the UN and it has been assumed that the cease-fire would be extended by a tacit agreement by all parties not to resume shooting. Mr. Eban, speaking on a television interview taped for broadcasting tonight, was emphatic in his contention that the cease-fire extension was one of the bases for the continuation of the Jarring talks. He declared that “there is no doubt that the opening of fire would not constitute the condition that would make an effective continuation of the talks possible,” adding, “that is to say, he who opens fire must be deemed not to be desirous of exhausting political ways and means” for a Middle East settlement.

The Foreign Minister repeated Israel’s opposition to the Egyptian proposal for a peacekeeping force as a means for settlement. He said the United States government shared the view that international guarantees could not be a substitute for a peace treaty and could be at best supplementary. He contended that it was therefore pointless to talk about means to strengthen an agreement “that did not yet exist.”

(At the United Nations in New York, Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah met for 40 minutes this morning with Dr. Jarring. They had last met yesterday, when Tekoah delivered Israel’s reply to Egypt’s position paper of last week, which itself was a response to Israel’s proposals of two and a half weeks ago. Dr. Jarring conferred yesterday afternoon with Egyptian Ambassador Mohammed H. el-Zayyat. There has been no indication as to exactly when Israel will reply to Jordan’s response.) The Foreign Minister also declared that improvement of relations with France was very important for Israel and that energetic efforts had to be made for that objective. But he warned that the goal could not be achieved by pretending that it already had been attained. He cited, as a major obstacle, France’s insistence on the evacuation by Israel of all occupied territories without a commitment by the Arabs to significant territorial negotiations. He agreed there was public sympathy for Israel in France but he added that this had existed all along, fostered for many years by Israel’s former ambassador and in recent months by the new ambassador but that there were still barriers to an understanding between the governments.

He also expressed the view that had the UN General Assembly been in session currently, following resumption of the Jarring talks, and Israel’s initial action in returning to those talks, the African vote would have been different than the one in November. He said Israel would increase its cooperation with the African states in development aid since this was an investment in nations and their prosperity and need not be influenced by the political course of particular governments.

Asked about rumors that Gideon Rafael intended to resign as Foreign Ministry director-general, purportedly because he has not been consulted on decisions regarding Israel’s participation in the Jarring talks, Mr. Eban said “Mr. Rafael is today director general of the Foreign Ministry. There is no change which I wish to announce now and such things are not done in the press.” Rafael firmly denied press reports that he had submitted his resignation. But he declined to comment on reports that relations between him and Eban had recently become tense. The first serious friction between Eban and Rafael occurred three weeks ago, when the director general thought it unnecessary for Ambassador Yosef Tekoah to accompany Dr. Jarring from the United Nations to Jerusalem. But Premier Golda Meir ruled that Tekoah should come. Two Assistant Director General of the Foreign Ministry–Aviezer Chelouch and Moshe Bitan–resigned last year because of differences with Rafael, and a third assistant–Gershon Avner–has reportedly wanted to resign for some time.