Israeli Political Circles Charge Egypt is Double-dealing on Peace Proposals

Israeli political circles virtually accused Egypt today of double-dealing on Middle East peace proposals, charging that its note yesterday to United Nations mediator Gunnar V. Jarring and to the Security Council was different and less moderate than its still-secret statement to Israel through Dr. Jarring. The Israeli circles also pointed out that Cairo, which had accused Israel of foot-dragging on peace moves, had taken nine days to reply to the Israeli note delivered through the Swedish negotiator. And, they added, Israel is unhappy over what she considers Arab leaking of the Israeli note to the Arab-oriented Paris weekly Jeune Afrique, which published it Monday. Foreign Ministry officials have advised the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Israel had committed herself to secrecy on the progress of the peace talks, believing quiet diplomacy to be the most effective means to obtain a settlement, but that Egypt was undermining that policy and Israel does not know how long she can now maintain it. The Foreign Ministry feels, in addition, that the Egyptian message is actually a Soviet attempt to prepare the ground for a special meeting of the Security Council before the cease-fire ends Feb. 5.

The contents of what Israeli political circles termed the more moderate Egyptian reply has not been disclosed, but the announced Egyptian statement does not, as had been expected in some quarters, specifically seek a special Council meeting. It also does not mention the timetable for Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab territories that Egyptian President Anwar Sadat has called a prerequisite for another cease-fire extension. The Egyptian memo, however, also does not endorse Israel’s call for a formal pence agreement; the closest it comes is to recommend that “any settlement…should contain the necessary elements to make it lasting.” The announced Egyptian statement makes only these points about the Council: That it “may decide upon the necessary arrangements which would provide security to all states in the area,” possibly including Big Four participation in a UN peacekeeping force and creation of demilitarized zones; that it “should exercise its responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security,” and that it “adopt all adequate measures” to implement its Resolution 242 and the Jarring mission based on it.

EGYPTIAN PLAN REPEATS PREVIOUS DEMANDS; JORDAN’S PLAN SIMILAR TO EGYPT’S

The Egyptian document, submitted in New York by Ambassador Mohammed H. el-Zayyat, charges that Israel “continues to procrastinate in an attempt to escape the carrying out of its obligations,” “seeks to dictate its conditions by relying on force and on the status quo,” and “submits notes containing nothing but mere repetition of its previous positions.” Such an Israeli attitude, the message goes on, “continues to escalate the explosive situation in the Middle East” and “constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security.” Egypt requires, the note says, Israeli “withdrawal from the Arab territories” captured in 1967 and “a just settlement for the Palestine refugees,” both within the context of “scrupulous implementation” of Resolution 242 and “all other relevant United Nations resolutions.” In order to reach those goals, Egypt continues, Israel must cease her “aggression” and withdraw to her June 4, 1967 lines; Israel must “repudiate” her “policy of territorial expansion…repeatedly expressed in the statements made by Israeli leaders”; there must be a “termination of…belligerency” and a guarantee of freedom of navigation”; there must be “respect for and acknowledgment of” territorial sovereignty, integrity and independence “within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force,” and there must be a “guaranteeing of peace and the territorial inviolability and political independence of every state in the area.”

Dr. Zayyat said yesterday that his government’s note to Dr. Jarring and to this month’s Security Council president, Sir Colin Crowe of Britain, had been made public because Israel, he charged had publicized her own 14-point position in the French weekly Jeune Afrique. Spokesmen for the weekly claimed that the disclosure of the Israeli proposals had been given them by a correspondent in Great Britain but the correspondent declined to disclose the source of his information. There was a strong suspicion that the Israeli proposals had been “leaked” by the Arabs. Meanwhile, Jordan’s reply to Israel’s peace plan arrived in the Israeli capital last night. Reliable sources said it had been drafted in close cooperation with Cairo, and that it parallels the Egyptian stance in all essential points–except that in regard to specifically Jordanian-Israeli matters it makes hardly any concessions to Israel, insisting on June 4, 1967, borders and on restoration of East Jerusalem to Jordan. The Amman statement adds that free access to the holy places is to be guaranteed to persons “of all religions,” the sources said, but they noted that such an agreement was also included in the 1948 armistice but was abrogated by Jordan when it occupied Jerusalem from then until June, 1967.