Foreign Minister Eban, in a biting statement, characterized President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s latest peace proposals as an “evasive formula” designed for export but amounting to a blue print for eventual liquidation of Israel. Col. Nasser’s proposals in Newsweek magazine, were seen in Washington and other Western capitals as “nothing new,” but some quarters professed to detect a moderate note.
Mr. Eban said, “The only new element in Nasser’s proposal is the explicit statement of the intention to remilitarize Sinai and encourage terrorist groups–in other words to reproduce the situation which has caused two wars against Israel in 11 years.” He viewed the plan this way: “First, Israel is to withdraw to the previous armistice lines with Egypt’s troops and air force re-occupying Sinai. Then, with Egyptian support, the so-called ‘resistance fighters’ will move to ‘liberate their homeland.'”
He said the Nasser blueprint “utterly falsifies the international policy expressed in the Security Council resolution of 1967…(which) calls on the Arab states to make final peace with Israel, permanently liquidating the Palestine conflict, and establishing secure and recognized boundaries by mutual agreement for the first time. There is no international resolution requiring a restoration of the June, 1967 position or situation.”
“Faced by this new hardening of Nasser’s position,” Mr. Eban said, “Israel will continue to uphold its policy for security and peace. There must be a permanent peace, duly negotiated and signed, determining agreed boundaries and liquidating all acts of hostility and blockade, in conformity with the general principles of the international law and the UN Charter.”
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