Report Israel and Lebanon Are Close to an Agreement

U.S. special envoy Philip Habib returned to Israel today amidst reports that Israel and Lebanon are close to an agreement. He is scheduled to meet tomorrow with Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir to whom he will present the agreement he reached with the Lebanese over the weekend.

According to reports from Lebanon, Habib brought back to Israel a memorandum from Beirut specifying the issues on which the parties are still at odds. Shamir told the Cabinet meeting today that there are still 20 percent differences.

However, Lebanon’s Premier, Shafik Al-Wazan told the Beirut English weekly. “Monday Morning, ” that there was now a reasonable chance of achieving the beginning of an Israeli withdrawal.

Wazan said the present American efforts to reach an agreement between the two countries were characterized by “new energy and vitality.” He said Lebanon was ready to work out any security arrangements which did not include an Israeli presence in south Lebanon.

At today’s Cabinet meeting. Education Minister Zevulun Hammer asked Shamir what he knew about Jordan’s intentions toward joining the peace talks one how Israel is prepared to meet such a development. Shamir replied that there was no clear Idea what King Hussein had in mind. He welcomed Hussein to join the talks, but reiterated that Israel would not accept any preconditions.

Premier Menachem Begin had earlier rejected two conditions asked by Hussein as an I inducement to enter peace talks with Israel. He told the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee last Friday that Hussein’s call for a freeze on settlement activity on the West Bank and for giving East Jerusalem Arabs the right to vote in elections for a self-governing body on the West Bank were unacceptable.

According to Begin, Hussein is as much opposed to the autonomy plan favored by the opposition Labor Party as he is to the Israel government’s autonomy plan,