Premier Menachem Begin of Israel said today that his message to American Jewry on the occasion of Israel’s 30th anniversary is that “with a united Jewish people, we shall overcome.”
He spoke in the course of a brief interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency aboard a special Israel Air Force plane that flew him from New York to Washington this morning for meetings with President Carter, Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and a White House reception honoring Israel’s 30th year of independence. (See separate story.)
“I am sending my greetings to the whole Jewish community,” Begin said. “Israel’s 30th anniversary is a tremendous event for our people and for all free human beings. In the last 30 years we have done a great deal but the task has not yet been completed. We will continue to work with all our strength to achieve peace.” He added: “Mass immigration to Israel is the lifeblood of our country. This is the way to build our country.”
Begin, accompanied by his wife, Aliza, his aides and Ambassador Simcha Dinitz, Israel’s envoy to the U.S., boarded the plane at Kennedy Airport at 9 a.m. local time. Smiling and looking fit, he greeted reporters at the airport. During the 45-minute flight he had breakfast and consulted with various aides.
Begin was greeted at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington by Vance and Alfred L. Atherton, President Carter’s Ambassador-at-Large to the Middle East. Vance welcomed the Israeli Premier and reiterated America’s commitment to Israel’s security and peace in the Middle East.
Begin said in response that he was grateful to President Carter for inviting him to take part in the White House reception. He expressed hope that the peace-making process will soon be resumed. Begin, accompanied by Vance, was driven directly to the State Department for a meeting followed by lunch.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
