Israel’s Cabinet today discussed, at its regular weekly meeting, the proposals for Arab-Israel rapprochement and peace talks made by President Habib Bourguiba, of Tunisia.
While no Government statement on the issue was made public and direct comment on Mr. Bourguiba’s proposals was avoided, officials here retreated a recent statement by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, who had asserted that Israel is ready to enter into direct peace negotiations with the Arab states–but without any preconditions.
Mr. Bourguiba’s recognition of the need for a peaceful solution of the Arab-Israeli disputes is considered by officials here as an important contribution. But these officials here pointed out that linking such Arab-Israeli peace talks to Israel’s acceptance of the boundaries fixed in 1947 by the United Nations Palestine partition plan does not advance the cause of peaceful settlement.
Deputy Premier Abba Eban said here on a nationwide broadcast over Kol Israel, the government-owned radio, that “there can be no question of returning to the 1947 boundaries.” He emphasized, however, that, while Israel rejects the idea of relinquishing any of its territory, as proposed by Mr. Bourguiba’s reference to the 1947 partition plan, the Tunisian President’s call for Arab-Israel negotiation was “important and worthy of careful study.” He pointed out that Mr. Bourguiba had “initiated a new dialogue in the Arab world” and stated: “Israel’s reaction must be prudent and measured.”
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