Jerusalem Apprehensive on Eve of Carter-begin Summit

There was an air of apprehension in government circles over the weekend, prior to Premier Menachem Begin’s departure for Washington where he will hold two days of talks this week with President Carter.

Reports from the U.S. of Carter’s talks with President Anwar Sodat of Egypt last week have convinced official observers here that the U.S. and Egypt, in effect, coordinated their positions on many of the key autonomy issues. There is fear in Jerusalem that Begin will be confronted by Carter with formulas or ideas worked out behind his back by the American and Egyptian leaders.

Israeli officials are also uncomfortable with what is seen here as another media success scored by Sadat during his visit to Washington. They fear that Begin will fare less well on American television and in the press, principally because of the widespread and increasing unpopularity of his settlements policy in U.S. public opinion.

There is particular disquiet here over the issue of Jerusalem. Israeli officials believe that the U.S. in effect supports the Egyptian demand that East Jerusalem residents be entitled to participate in voting for the Palestinian autonomy authority. Begin and the Cabinet unanimously oppose this because they feel it would drastically weaken Israel’s hold over the city.

COOL TOWARD U.S. SUGGESTION

The Cabinet met this morning for a final review of the state of the negotiations in advance of Begin’s trip. Well placed sources said Begin and other top ministers were distinctly unenthusiastic over the U.S. suggestion that the autonomy talks, at chief of delegation level, be shifted to Washington later this month and conducted there on an ongoing basis in an effort to reach steak–through before the May 26 target date.

Israel’s chief negotiator, interior Minister Yosef Burg, said over the weekend that he does not favor this idea. He advised accepting the U.S. invitation, if it is made formally, for a period of a few days. But after that, he said, the talks should revert to Cairo and Tel Aviv. It would be impossible, Burg said, for him and the other ministerial members of the Israeli negotiating team to be away for the protracted and open-ended period the U.S. suggestion seemed to imply.

In any event, Israel’s final decision on future procedure for the autonomy talks will be taken only after Begin returns from the U.S. at the end of the week.

POSSIBLE SUBSTANCE OF SUMMIT MEETING

On the likely substance of the summit meetings, top Israeli officials say Begin will present a brief showing how his own position adheres strictly to the Camp David occurred while that of Egypt, backed by the U.S., deviates from it. This is true, the officials here say, not only of the issue of Jerusalem which was deliberately omitted from the Camp David document but also on the questions of powers and responsibilities to be vested in the proposed autonomous authority.

“They (the Egyptians and Americans) are deviating from Camp David, and what is worse, they know they are deviating, and they don’t care,” said one high official over the weekend.

Because President Carter is in the throes of an election campaign, the Israelis are confident that he will not exert excessive pressure on Begin. At the same time-because of the election campaign-the Israeli Premier knows if is in his country’s interests to conclude an autonomy deal now rather than delay it until after November when Carter, if re-elected, will be free of domestic electoral considerations in his dealings with Israel.