Utilizing an international wireless telephone hook-up via West Germany, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres answered questions from callers in the Arab world for a half hour Thursday. Most of the questions related to Middle East peace.
The telephone exchange was arranged by the Arabic service of the state-owned Israel Radio in cooperation with a radio station in Bonn. Except for callers from Egypt, who used the newly installed direct-dialing, questions and answers were relayed through Bonn. Peres heard simultaneous translations and replied in English, which was translated into Arabic.
Calls from Syria, during a practice run Wednesday, were cut off abruptly and there were no Syrian calls Thursday. But there were calls from Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and the West Bank. Peres was asked about an international conference for Middle East peace, the peace process with Egypt and the situation between Israel and Syria since Syrian armed forces occupied West Beirut earlier this month.
The Foreign Minister stressed that Israel wants peace, but apart from Egypt has found no Arab partners. He said Israel was ready to participate in preparations for an international conference or in talks with a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation, but not with the Palestine Liberation Organization, which he said “preferred shooting to talking.”
Earlier Thursday, Peres met with three Palestinian leaders, Hanna Seniora, editor of the East Jerusalem Arabic daily AI Fajr, Fayez Abu Rahman, a West Bank attorney, and Dr. Saeri Nusseibeh. He said his purpose was to hear their opinions on Israel-Palestinian relations and acquaint them with Israel’s policies.
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