Israeli Officials Say U.S. Must Press Egypt to Soften Its Position on Four Key Issues in Autonomy Ta

Israeli officials are expected to tell Secretary of State Alexander Haig this week that the United States must press Egypt to soften its position on four key issues in the autonomy talks if there is to be any hope of an agreement by April 26, the deadline for Israel’s withdrawal from Sinai.

Haig will be here Thursday and Friday, after visiting Egypt. Israel’s position emerged from consultations held within the government under the chairmanship of Premier Menachem Begin. A high level Israeli negotiator said today that Haig must seek concessions from Egypt on the nature of the self-governing authority on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; settlements; security; and Jerusalem.

He reiterated the assertion yesterday by Interior Minister Yosef Burg, head of Israel’s autonomy negotiating team, that Israel rejects without qualification Egypt’s insistence that the Arabs of East Jerusalem be allowed to participate in the election of the self-governing authority on the West Bank.

With respect to the nature of the self-governing authority, Israel firmly opposes any legislative powers while Egypt would invest the authority with legislative and judicial branches. In Israel’s view, this would in effect make the authority a government in embryo.

POINTS OF CONTENTION

Jewish settlements in the occupied territories and responsibility for internal security have been points of contention since the talks began 32 months ago. Israel insists on retaining control of internal security under the autonomy scheme and that its settlements are not negotiable.

The issue of voting rights for East Jerusalem Arabs is the most sensitive at present. The high level negotiator said Haig would be “gravely mistaken” if he tried to press Israel on that matter. Reports from Washington have indicated that this was the Secretary’s intention but according to the Israelis it would lead to a blind alley.

The Israeli negotiator said the U.S. has decided to make a major effort toward progress on an autonomy agreement before April 26. Israel welcomes the American initiative, coming after a long period in which the Reagan Administration showed little interest in the matter, he said. Israel has a major interest in rebutting claims that the Camp David process would end once all of Sinai is returned to Egypt. But there are doubts in Israeli circles that Egypt shares this interest.

Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Samuel Lewis met with Begin today. He told reporters that he delivered a letter to the Premier from President Reagan and that they had discussed the issues that will be dealt with on Haig’s visit. The State Department said last week that Haig’s trip to Egypt and Israel would be focussed on the autonomy negotiations.