Mixed Reactions in Israel

Israelis woke up this morning to learn of the results of the Camp David summit conference and their reaction was mixed. Hardliners in Likud and the National Religious Party were bitter, some accusing Premier Menachem Begin of a “sell out.” But in a sharp reversal of attitude, the Peace Now movement, the most persistent critic of Begin’s peace policies, hailed the agreement and announced it would stage pro-Begin demonstrations.

(In New York, Rabbi Wolfe Kelman, executive vice-president of the Rabbinical Assembly, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that he had spoken to several of the 36 American Jews who signed a letter last spring supporting the Peace Now movement and they told him that the Camp David summit was “a triumph for Begin.”)

By and large, the attitude was one of hopefulness mixed with skepticism pending the announcement of details of the two documents signed at the White House last night by Begin, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and President Carter. Although the broadcast media revived some of the peace songs that filled the air during Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem last November, the euphoria that characterized that historic occasion was lacking today.

PERES LESS THAN ENTHUSIASTIC

Shimon Peres, chairman of the opposition Labor Alignment, welcomed the Camp David agreements but was less than enthusiastic. “I am happy that the convention (summit conference) was not a failure, ” he said, “and that the road for peace was opened.” He observed, however, that Israel made considerable concessions, “perhaps more than was necessary.”

He suggested that had those concessions been made before, Israel could have reached an agreement with Egypt a long time ago. Peres indicated that the focus of public debate in the weeks chead would be the fate of Israeli settlements in the Rafah salient of Sinai, notably the town of Yamit.

Former Premier Yitzhak Rabin agreed. In a television interview this morning, he said that “the peace will rise or fall on the question of the Rafah settlements.” But he was more lavish than Peres in praising the Camp David agreements. “This is an exciting event with far-reaching significance to the future of the State of Israel and the entire region,” Rabin said. “This is an opening of a new era.”

According to Rabin, Israel’s main achievement in the negotiations at Camp David was the agreement by Egypt that the future of the West Bank will be determined over a period of several years. In return, Israel accepted all Egyptian demands in Sinai, the former Premier said.

Leon Dulzin, chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency Executives, who is also a leader of the Liberal Party group in Likud, said the Camp David agreements were a step toward fulfilling the Zionist dream. He sent a congratulatory message to Begin on the successful completion of the summit conference.

President Yitzhak Navon cabled a message of congratulations to Begin this morning. He said the Camp David talks were “the opening of a new era” and praised Begin’s personal contributions to their success. Agriculture Minister Ariel Sharon called the agreements “a great step toward peace for Israel and a great personal accomplishment for Begin.”

The new SHAI party headed by Prof. Amnon Rubinstein and Meir Amit expressed its wholehearted support for the agreements. Max Fisher, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency, in Israel as head of a United Jewish Appeal mission, said that the summit, regardless of what happens, will undoubtedly improve Israel’s image abroad. “There will be a very definite improvement (of public opinion) in the U.S. now, which is a continuation of a trend in that direction which has taken place lately,” he said.

Yehuda Ben-Meir, leader of the militant wing of the National Religious Party, said he was still in a state of shock over the agreement. He said he was torn between satisfaction with the movement made toward peace and dissatisfaction with the price paid. But the NRP, a member of the government coalition, is expected to support Begin. Gush Emunim secretary Hanan Porat called the summit decision “surrender, tragedy and betrayal.” He said there was a potential for a situation of “no peace, no Eretz Yisrael and no leadership.”

The most extreme reaction against the agreements came from Likud MK Geula Cohen, leader of the so-called Herut loyalist movement, who demanded a vote of no contidence in Begin. She claimed the Camp David accords were not a peace agreement but an agreement to war and national suicide for Israel.

One immediate happy result of the Camp David agreements was the return of striking Israeli teachers to their classrooms tomorrow, although the strike that began a week ago is still officially on. The teachers decided it would be unwise and unfair to keep over one million pupils out of schools on this historic occasion and notified the authorities that they would report for duty tomorrow morning.