Israel Reaffirms That It Intends to Maintain the Cease-fire Agreement

Deputy Secretary of State Walter Stoessel met today with Premier Menachem Begin to discuss the last minute details of Israel’s evacuation of the Sinai on Sunday. The two also reportedly discussed Israel’s air strike yesterday against Palestinian terrorist bases in Lebanon.

Stoessel told reporters afterwards that “both sides (Israel and the PLO) have every interest in seeing that the situation will remain calm.” Israeli leaders reaffirmed that Israel intends to maintain the cease-fire agreement that went into effect last July.

Maj. Gen. Yehoshua Saguy, Israel’s chief of military intelligence, said in a radio interview that the air strikes constituted a “warning operation” that Israel would adhere to the ceasefire if the Palestinians did. Chief of Staff Gen. Rafael Eitan said in another interview that the cease-fire would remain in effect if the terrorists did not strike back.

Israeli leaders also reiterated that yesterday’s action was in retaliation for the murderous acts committed by the PLO against Israelis in Europe and in Israel. Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir said the air strikes and the evacuation of Sinai are interlinked. “Israel is ready for peace with everyone who wants to live in peace with Israel,” he said. “But Israel will defend itself forcefully against terrorists.”

The northern border with Lebanon was quiet but tense today. Residents of northern villages, especially Kiryat Shemona, spent the night in air raid shelters as a precaution against possible terrorist rocket attacks, but none came.

Meanwhile, Israel opened a consulate in Alexandria today, its second in Egypt, and Egypt opened a second consulate in Israel. Egyptian officials continued to decline comment on yesterday’s air strikes by Israel. This appeared to be in line with Cairo’s policy to refrain from any act during this delicate stage of negotiations with Israel that might jeopardize the evacuation from Sinai.