The disagreements between Israel and the United States over the latter’s role in the proposed Suez Canal talks with Egypt may take longer than a week to iron out, according to diplomatic circles here. Last weekend Foreign Minister Abba Eban had described them as minor and official opinion had been that they would be resolved during the week. However, as reports came in today from the latest conversation between Assistant Secretary of State Joseph J. Sisco and Israeli Ambassador to the US Itzhak Rabin, it appeared that it would take longer.
Apparently the US is not satisfied with the role assigned it by Israel as a mediator only. The US, according to diplomatic circles, is asking Israel to be more flexible in her attitude now that a further supply of war material has been promised to keep the balance of armaments intact. According to observers in Jerusalem the American attitude also stems from the opinion in Washington that the talks are not an immediate prospect because of Egyptian internal problems. This gives the US more time to try and make Israel more amenable to American ideas.
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.
