Moynihan and Eagleburger Disagree on Moving U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

Sen. Daniel Moynihan (D.NY) declared today that moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would be a major contribution to the Middle East peace process. But Lawrence Eagleburger, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, said such a move would undermine America’s ability to play an effective role in that process.

“There will be no peace in the Middle East as long as there remains any doubt in the minds of the enemies of Israel as to the commitment of the United States to the permanence of the State of Israel,” Moynihan told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “There is nothing we can do more to bring peace to Israel and the Middle East than put our Embassy in its capital and say our Embassy is there to stay and the State of Israel is there to stay and nothing will change that.”

Moynihan spoke in favor of the bill he introduced to move the Embassy and the Ambassador’s residence to Jerusalem. He said the bill now has 28 co-sponsors in the Senate. A similar bill was introduced in the House this week by Reps. Tom Lantos (D. Calif.) and Benjamin Gilman (R. NY).

Sen. Arien Specter (R. Pa.), who joined Moynihan in testifying before the committee, also stressed that the U.S. “gives comfort” to the Arabs in their refusal to recognize Israel by failing to relocate the Embassy in Jerusalem. Eagleburger noted the special close relationship that has existed between Israel and the U.S. since 1948 and said, “There cannot be any doubt about our commitment to Israel.”

DANGER OF MOVING EMBASSY IS CITED

Eagleburger said the U.S. considers West Jerusalem as an area administered by Israel and East Jerusalem as occupied territory. He reiterated the U.S. position that the status of Jerusalem must be determined by negotiations although he stressed that the Administration believes the city should remain undivided.

“A change in the U.S. position on the status of Jerusalem would serve only to undermine our ability to play an effective role in the Middle East peace process,” Eagleburger said. “Indeed, moving our embassy to Jerusalem would be widely perceived as an effort by the U.S. to pre-empt negotiations altogether by pre-judging a crucial issue,” he said.

Eagleburger noted that while the U.S. position may be “frustrating” to the Israelis, it has not been a “major irritant” in dealing with them and has not prevented agreement on a wide variety of issues.

Sen. Joseph Biden (D.Del.) said he believes the Embassy move is the “wrong fight” to make at this time. But he suggested to Eagleburger that the Administration go ahead and do it on its own. “If the Arabs can sustain and swallow our policy in Lebanon, they can take just about anything,” Biden said.

SHULTZ RAISES CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE

Secretary of State George Shultz, in a letter read by Sen. Charles Percy (R. III.) the committee chairman, said the proposed legislation would interfere with the President’s Constitutional right to conduct foreign policy. Specter replied that Congress has more Constitutional justification for this measure than Presidents have had for going into Korea and Vietnam, not to mention more recent engagements.

Percy noted that this was the first time a Congressional committee has ever considered this issue. This was also pointed out yesterday to representatives of the Jewish media by Thomas Dine, executive director of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He said this now created a “precedent” and no matter what happens to the current bill, the issue will continue to be brought up in each session of Congress. Dine rejected the view that this is not the time to raise the issue. “Should we wait another 35 years?” he asked. “If not now, when?”

At today’s hearing, The Rev. John Walker, Episcopal Bishop of Washington; Father Milton Efthimou, of the Orthodox Church; Father J. Bryan Hehir, of the U.S. Catholic Conference; and David Sadd, executive director of the Association of Arab Americans, spoke against the proposed move.

Representing the Jewish community in support of the bill was Kenneth Bialkin, chairman of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith who charged that the U.S. has been giving in to “fear” of Arab reaction. “It is time to end several generations of U.S. surrender to intimidation and threats from our so-called friends in Arab lands,” he said.

Richard Hellman, of the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem said that Israel’s protection of the rights of Christians and Moslems in Jerusalem and the “holy sites of all faiths has been examplary.” Also speaking in favor of the move were Dr. Calvin Thomas of the Moral Majority and Sister Rose Thering, a Seton Hall University professor.