Linowitz Warns Israel About an Israeli Presence on the West Bank

U.S. special Middle East Ambassador Sol Linowitz has warned Israel that unless it halts developing the Israeli presence on the West Bank the Carter Administration would not be able to prevent West European countries and others San taking steps toward expelling Israel from the area.

Linowitz said that the U.S. has no plan for any of the issues outstanding between Egypt and Israel in their autonomy talks but said that substantial progress must be made by May 26 — the target date in the Israeli-Egyptian treaty for an autonomy treaty — to induce the Europeans to refrain from pressing for a solution in the United Nations.

Linowitz spoke to reporters of the general American media yesterday and of the Israeli media today despite the Passover holiday which found the Israeli Embassy closed.

According to those present, he said that President Carter’s talks April 7-10 with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and with Israeli Premier Menachem Begin April 15-16 will seek to clarify principles but would not replace the negotiations among the three governments.

Some reporters understood that the clarification of principles was to include a commitment by Begin to stop any further Jewish settlements on the West Bank, Linowitz said the settlement policy, apart from the question of legality, was not good for Israel’s public relations. He said also that in giving up the Sinai and the oil fields there Israel gave up more of its security than it would in abandoning the settlements on the West Bank.

Linowitz said if substantial progress is made by May 26 it may be possible to extend the target dates by three months without having the United Nations move towards a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. He would not define substantial progress. Linowitz also said that a three-way summit this month is impossible since Sadat would be leaving Washington after his three-day visit and before Begin arrives.