Mann Says He Had ‘candid’ Talk with Begin; Alon Moreh Discussed

Theodore Mann, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said that he had a “refreshingly open and entirely candid” two-hour meeting with Premier Menachem Begin here today but refused to go into detail. He disclosed that Alon Moreh, the controversial new settlement on the West Bank near Nablus was discussed by them along with “all other burning issues” currently in the forefront of Israeli foreign policy.

But Mann, who arrived in Israel yesterday at the head of an eight-man-Presidents Conference delegation, would not confirm or deny that there had been any “disagreement” between himself and Begin. The word “disagreement” is “peculiar and provocative” and therefore he would not address himself to it, Mann said. He was accompanied at his meeting by Yehuda Hellman, executive director of the Presidents Conference and by a former chairman, Rabbi Israel Miller.

Mann told reporters that he brought no specific message from the U.S. government to the Israeli government. He noted, however, that he had conversations recently with President Carter and other Administration figures and was “sharing” parts of those conversations with Israeli leaders.