Labor and Likud Leaders Attack, Defend Israel’s Peace Plan

Former Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon blasted Premier Menachem Begin’s peace policies in an address to the British Poale Zion here yesterday. But an impassioned defense of those some policies was delivered by Minister of Agriculture Ariel Sharon at a dinner organized by the British Herut last night to mark the 11th anniversary of Jerusalem’s re-unification.

Allon charged that Begin’s “self rule” plan for the West Bank was a “terrible adventure” that could lead to the “Arabization of Israel.” Sharon said that if he were an Arab he would unhesitatingly accept Begin’s offer of regional autonomy pending a permanent settlement.

Allon stressed the need to bring Jordan into the negotiating process, observing that a permanent settlement of the Palestinian question must be worked out between Israel and Jordan and the representatives of the Arabs in the occupied territories. He suggested that, in the long run, the issue of who would prevail on the West Bank was not between Israel and Jordan but between Jordan and the Palestine Liberation Organization and therefore Jordan had to be given a chance to reassert its position in the territories, though without compromising Israel’s security requirements.

HITS NEW INTERPRETATION OF RES. 242

Sharon disparaged Jordanian claims to the territory. He said that whereas Palestinian Arabs had lived in the country for centuries, the Hashemite rulers of Jordan were strangers. He said that in 1948, Jordanian forces conquered only the area around Jerusalem. Northern Samaria and southern Judaea (West Bank) had fallen to the Iraqi and Egyptian armies respectively and were only added to Jordan’s conquests later as part of the armistice agreements. Sharon acknowledged that the Palestinian Arabs have rights to decide about their future “but not about ours.”

Allon attacked Begin’s “miserable interpretation” of Security Council Resolution 242, which holds that it does not oblige Israel to withdraw from any part of the West Bank. He also attacked the Begin government’s settlement policy and its penchant for “big declarations” which have gotten Israel into trouble with its friends abroad. He recalled Begin’s enthusiastic reception at a Gush Emunim settlement on the West Bank, demonstratively carrying a Torah scroll. “Leave the Torah in the synagogue and don’t bring it into the political field,” Allon declared.

SELF RULE PLAN CALLED DEFECTIVE

Sharon contended that the Begin government has made more concessions to the Arabs than any previous Israeli regime over the past 30 years. He charged that it was the Arabs who were not responding to Israel’s initiative, not the other way around. The only peace plan currently on the table is that formulated by Israel, including recognition of the pre-1948 international borders in Sinai and self-rule for the people of the West Bank, Sharon said.

Allon said Begin’s “self rule” plan was defective because Israel would retain responsibility for public order in the territories which meant an “unautonomous autonomy.” His main concern was that the Begin plan allows the West Bank Arabs to opt for either Jordanian or Israeli citizenship. If several hundred thousands choose the latter, either because of economic incentive or to alter Israel’s demographic balance, it would result in the “Arabization” of Israel, he warned. “I don’t want to try to Judaize the West Bank if it means Arabizing Israel,” he said. He also expressed fear that an influx of rural Arabs into Israel’s economy would result in more and more Jews turning away from manual labor, which was one of the pillars of pioneer Zionist ideology.

DESCRIBES PURPOSE OF SINAI SETTLEMENTS

Sharon rejected claims that the peace talks with Egypt were stalled because of Israeli settlements in Sinai. He insisted that the Egyptians were aware of Israel’s intention to retain those settlements before President Anwar Sadat visited Jerusalem. He said the purpose of the settlements was to create a demilitarized zone between Israel and Egypt to be incorporated in a peace agreement and to form a political barrier between the Arab-populated Gaza Strip and Egypt. Israelis should stop blaming themselves for the suspension of the peace talks with Egypt and should claim more of the credit for Sadat’s peace initiative, he said.

Allon did not blame the Begin government entirely for the breakdown of the peace talks. He accused Sadat of believing mistakenly that his visit to Jerusalem was sufficient to satisfy Israel. He said Sadat was responsible for creating the impasse by withdrawing his Foreign Minister from the Jerusalem talks and trying to impose pre-conditions for their resumption.

Summing up his own views, Allon said that Israel should be prepared to compromise on territory, restoring most of the land captured in 1967 and recognizing the need to solve the Palestinian question in a positive way. He stressed that Israel’s first need was a credible peace treaty that would ensure its security and ability to defend itself. Sharon, for his part, stressed Israel’s claims to the West Bank. He chastized the previous Labor-led governments and even the Herut when it was in opposition, for failing to reiterate that claim after Israel won its independence 30 years ago.