Shalev Says Israel Prepared to Take Calculated Risks in Order to Move Toward Peace

An Israeli official said last night that Israel has demonstrated that it is prepared to take calculated risks in order to move the Middle East toward peace. Mordechai Shalev, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, noted in that respect that in the recent negotiations conducted by Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger for a second-stage Israeli-Egyptian agreement in Sinai, Israel was willing to make concrete territorial concessions in return for only verbal promises.

Addressing 1000 guests at the 43rd annual Third Seder of the Greater New York Histadrut Council at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Shalev said, “We are asking Egypt only for words. In return for a clear, albeit verbal unequivocal move toward peace, we shall be ready to relinquish the oil fields and the Sinai passes.”

The Israeli diplomat expressed regret that Egypt rejected Israel’s offer, thereby terminating the negotiations and said he hoped “that the government and the people of the United States will understand the position that Israel had to take.” He said that Israel was grateful to the United States for its aid during the Yom Kippur War and its continued economic and military assistance. “It is inconceivable that there should be any change in American policy for keeping Israel strong,” Shalev said.

Dr. Judah J. Shapiro, president of the National Committee for Labor Israel, presented an oral “Haggada” composed for the Third Seder. One of the highlights of the Third Seder was the introduction of one of the guests, Yair Ben Eliezer grandson of the late Israeli Premier David Ben Gurion, who is in the U.S. in connection with the activities of the Israel Students Association of which he is secretary. Six candles commemorating the six million Jews who perished during the Nazi era were kindled by six members of the Labor Zionist Alliance who survived Nazi concentration camps.