Mrs. Meir to Report on Cease-fire Status to Knesset; Cancels Cabinet Meeting on U.S.

Premier Golda Meir will report Thursday to the Knesset on the status of the cease-fire and the political situation. But she has cancelled an extraordinary cabinet meeting scheduled for tomorrow to discuss differences with the United States. The cancellation followed a further exchange of notes with the U.S. State Department over United Nations envoy Gunnar V. Jarring’s letter to Secretary General U Thant last week stating the basis and objectives of the negotiations to be held under his auspices between Israel and the Arab states. Government officials were seriously disturbed because the Jarring letter failed to state Israel’s basic condition for acceptance of the U.S. peace initiative, namely that withdrawal from the occupied territories and future boundaries would be determined by peace agreements with the Arabs.

Israel’s acceptance of the American peace plan was based on certain assurances from the U.S. and its reproaches regarding the Jarring letter were addressed to the State Department. The latter reportedly countered by stressing that the most important thing was that Egypt and Israel have agreed to talks and any reservations should be raised logically in the course of negotiations. Views differ within the government on this but a majority of cabinet ministers felt that no quarrel with the United States should be provoked at this stage. The incident is being referred to as a “mini-crisis.” The two leaders of Gahal, Menachem Beigin and Joseph Sapir, who quit the cabinet last week over acceptance of the American peace plan, were briefed on latest developments by Premier Meir today.