Egyptian President Anwar Sodat was reported to have told Jewish leaders today that Israel should control its own defense but it was not immediately clear as to whether this included territories administered by Israel since the Six-Day War.
According to Israel Singer, director of the North American branch of the World Jewish Congress, who was one of 11 American Jewish leaders attending the half-hour meeting at Blair House at Sadat’s invitation, the Egyptian President was told by Edgar Bronfman, acting chairman of the WJ Congress Presidium’s Executive while WJC president Philip Klutznick is on leave of absence while he is Secretary of Commerce, that Jews are united on three elements: unity of Jerusalem under Jewish sovereignty, success of the Camp David process, and that Israel’s defense should be solely in Israel’s hands. Bronfman is also the chairman of the WJC-North-American Section.
“On that point (the last one) Sodat agreed fully,” Singer said to reporters outside Blair House. Later, however, Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg, vice president of the WJC, said that while Sodat did agree “he did not specify what points.” Hertzberg added that “this was not a map-drawing conversation.” He also said that “the conversation was not one of imminent crisis.” Bronfman would only say to reporters that “we had a very pleasant and instructive meeting and a very good understanding.” He would not elaborate.
Regarding on undivided Jerusalem, Jacques Torczyner, president, World Union of General Zionists, reported Sadat as saying that “every time this matter is brought up (Israeli Premier Menachem) Begin says this is not negotiable.” Sodat added that “this is a matter to be discussed later,” Torczyner said.
Others present were: Rabbi Arthur Schneier, chairman, WJC-American Section; Kalman Sultanik, president, World Confederation of United Zionists; ivan Novick, president, Zionist Organization of America; Bernice Tannenboum, president, Hadassah; Charlotte Jacobson, chairman, World Zionist Organization-American Section; Richard Clurman, advisor to Bronfman and a former editor of Time magazine; and Daniel Thursz, executive vice president, B’nai B’rith.
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