Rabin Says USSR Conducting Major Effort to Strengthen Syria

Premier Yitzhak Rabin warned today that the Soviet Union is conducting an unparalleled effort to strengthen Syria. Speaking at a meeting of the Labor Party’s Moshav section, Rabin said if war comes it will not be easy, short or without pain, but he stressed that it could be averted by acting on a realistic appraisal of the situation.

Israel has to face the problem of a gap between what the Arabs say is their policy and what it actually is, Rabin stressed. “We do want a settlement,” he said, “a quieting of the situation and calm.” He said that if Israel does not get peace then at least she could achieve a state of non-war. “But even if we fall, at least we shall know that we have done our utmost to prevent war,” the Premier said.

Rabin said Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was making every effort to have Jordan join a combined front with Syria and Egypt. He said this was the reason for Sadat reversing his previous policy and stating in a joint statement with King Hussein that Jordan has the right to negotiate in behalf of the Palestinians on the West Bank.

THREE MAJOR CHALLENGES

Speaking yesterday afternoon to the first graduation ceremonies at Haifa University. Rabin said that there are three major challenges facing Israel: the security challenge–to be prepared to combat any threat on our own, because there is no one that will fight for us; the economic and social challenge–to establish and develop an economy and society that is worth fighting for; and the challenge of peace–to want to reach peace, because being a Jew means living in peace in a Jewish State. Therefore, he said, Israel must make every effort to reach a peace, that would enable Jews to live peacefully in their own land.