Rabin Announces Israeli Thinning of Troops, Weapons in Sinai

Premier Yitzhak Rabin announced today that Israel would voluntarily and unilaterally undertake a substantial thinning out of its troops and weaponry in Sinai to coincide with the reopening of the Suez Canal this Thursday. He said he hoped Israel’s action would contribute to a lessening of tension in the area and demonstrate to Egypt and the world Israel’s sincere desire to make progress toward peace. He stressed that the move did not “replace the existing disengagement” nor was it a “substitute for the continuation of efforts to achieve a further agreement between Israel and Egypt.” He conceded that it involved “a measure of risk.”

The Premier made his announcement to the press directly following a special Cabinet meeting. He said the moves would be implemented before the canal reopens officially to navigation, provided that the disengagement accords continue to be observed on a basis of reciprocity.

Israel’s new “gesture” in the direction of easing tensions and furthering peace negotiations came as President Ford and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt were winding up two days of meetings in Salzburg, Austria and a little more than a week before Rabin’s meeting with Ford in Washington. Rabin insisted, in reply to reporters’ questions, that the decision was not taken as a result of information arriving from Salzburg. He said it was an independent and unilateral move “based on our assessment that Israel should do something–involving a measure of risk–to demonstrate our contribution in light of the canal’s reopening, towards pacification of the region.” He denied that the decision was intended to influence the Ford-Sadat meeting in its final rounds.

KISSINGER CALLS MOVE ‘CONSTRUCTIVE’

(At a press conference in Salzburg today after the conclusion of the Ford-Sadat meetings, Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger described Ribin’s announcement as “a constructive move” clearly intended to ease “possible Egyptian concern” that the Suez Canal would be in range of Israeli artillery. He added, however, that “no unilateral step can be decisive, but it is helpful.” At another point, Kissinger observed that the Israeli announcement is “unrelated to the settlement issue but can have an effect.” The Secretary’s reaction to the Israeli move appeared to be that while it was highly welcome as a tension-easer, it was not a major development in the perspective of an overall Mideast settlement.)

(In London, Israel’s announcement was welcomed by the British government today and widely praised in the news media. A Foreign Office spokesman said, “We welcome the Israeli move which can only improve prospects in the search for a lasting peace settlement in the Middle East.” Most observers here saw the Israeli move as having a positive impact on the situation in the Middle East.)

Initial reaction among political observers here favored Rabin’s move but deplored its timing. They contended that the announcement would have had a considerably greater impact had it been made just before the Ford-Sadat meeting in Salzburg.

An Israeli “gesture” related to the reopening of the Suez Canal was not unexpected here. Rumors of such a move have been abroad in Jerusalem for the past six weeks and the idea was vigorously espoused by Defense Minister Shimon Peres, by some army commanders and especially by former Defense Minister Moshe Dayan who argued it at several public forums recently. Although Rabin himself was rumored to have had doubts, an aide to the Premier told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that Rabin had “never opposed the idea.”

DETAILS MOVE

Rabin explained in detail today exactly what the move involved in military terms. The measure included reducing by half the number of tanks within 30 kilometers of the canal. Under the January 1974 disengagement agreement with Egypt, Israel was permitted to keep 30 tanks within a 20 kilometer “limited forces zone” east of the canal; reducing by half the number of soldiers within the limited forces zone. Under the disengagement accord, Israel was allowed to keep 7000 soldiers in the zone. They will now number no more than 3000.

Israel will also remove all artillery within a distance of 32 kilometers of the canal. Under the disengagement agreement, Israel was allowed six artillery batteries of six guns each in the limited forces zone. There was no limitation of artillery east of that zone provided that the guns were kept beyond range of the waterway. Rabin announced that Israel would also remove all of its ground-to-air and ground-to-ground missiles–except antitank missiles–from a 40 kilometer strip east of the canal. The disengagement agreement stipulated no anti-aircraft missiles within 30 kilometers of the canal.

Rabin described the reopening of the Suez Canal as “an important constructive development” which Israel hoped would serve the interests of all maritime nations and which, he stressed, was part of the disengagement agreement with Egypt. He said Israel “trusts that an atmosphere of tranquility will prevail in the area of the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Suez.” Asked if Israel now expected that Egypt would permit its cargoes transit through the canal, Rabin said “We hope and expect all the elements of the disengagement to be carried out.” Passage for Israeli cargoes was included in the January 1974 disengagement agreement.