Vice President Walter Mondale said that the United States is opposed to the creation of “an independent Pales- tinian state” and vowed his government will not negotiate with the Palestine Liberation Organization until that organization recognizes Israel’s right to exist.
The Vice President made this statement to more than 250 guests, among them two dozen United Nations Ambassadors, including Egypt’s Esmat Abdel Meguid, at a ceremony last Thursday night sponsored by B’nai B’rith International in which its Humanitarian Award was presented to 11 organizations for their efforts to rescue refugees around the world. The awards were presented by Jock Spitzer, B’nai B’rith president.
“We support the Camp David accords and peace treaty,” Mondale declared. “We support UN Resolutions 242 and 338. We oppose all acts of terrorism. We will not negotiate with the PLO or recognize the PLO unless it recognizes Israel’s right to exist,” Mondale said to the applause of the audience.
He added, “we are committed to autonomy talks to resolve the Palestinian problem,” stressing that the Carter Administration opposes the creation of “on independent Palestinian state.” He also said that the United States “believes” that Jerusalem “must be undivided, with free access” to all holy places.
Reiterating the unqualified support of Israel by the Carter Administration — a support that was questioned by many Jews after the U.S. vote on March 1 for an anti-Israel resolution in the Security Council — Mondale said the United States is committed to Israel’s security. He added: “We are totally committed to a just and lasting peace among Egypt and Israel and for all their neighbors.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
