Special to the JTA Mann Pledges to Begin That U.S. Jews Will Stand United on the Issues of Jerusalem

In a dramatic pledge of Jewish unity, Theodore R. Mann, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told Premier Menachem Begin last night that American Jews would “stand as one with Israel” on the issues of Jerusalem and the West Bank. The promise came following a one-hour confidential briefing on Middle East developments by Begin, attended by 40 heads of U.S. Jewish groups, immediately prior to the Israeli Premier’s departure for Los Angeles.

According to sources who attended the meeting, Begin expressed optimism over the chances of an early peace agreement with Egypt but gave a “sobering assessment” of current Israeli differences with Washington on dealing with the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Begin was particularly critical of the American position–expressed by Assistant Secretary of State Harold Saunders last month to Jordanian and Palestinian leaders–that East Jerusalem was “occupied” territory. Jerusalem, Begin asserted, was the spiritual and cultural capital of every Jew in the world as well as the political capital of Israel “and will remain so as long as there is a Jewish people.”

Begin told the Presidents Conference leaders that many of the statements of U.S. policy on the future of the West Bank and Jerusalem contained in the Carter Administration’s reply to questions posed by King Hussein of Jordan came as a “very unpleasant surprise” and posed “grave problems” affecting the “very lives of the people of Israel.”

At the very end of the meeting, in response to Mann’s pledge of “unity and support, “Begin smiled broadly and asked: “Can I take that back to Israel with me?” The Israeli Premier was assured that the Presidents Conference promise was “on the record.” (See other Begin story, P.2)