U.S. Says Israel’s Exploration of Oil in Sinai Violates International Law and Hampers Peace Negotiat

Israel’s exploration for oil off the western shores of the Sinai Peninsula was criticized by the United States today as a violation of international law and as a move that will hamper peace negotiations.

The matter arose when a published report said that Israel has employed Canadian and Texas engineers in what was called highly promising oil possibilities in an area known as the Ramadan field in the Gulf of Suez.

State Department spokesman Frederick Z. Brown said that Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance will discuss the issue when he visits Israel and Egypt on his Middle East tour.

The matter became an Israeli-American dispute some three months ago when American companies exploring in the area were directed to leave by the Israelis. Brown explained today that American companies are involved and “we have a responsibility to them in this matter.”

ISRAEL. AN OCCUPYING POWER

Pressed on the legalities of the issue apart from the American companies’ role. Brown said: “Our legal view is that Israel, as an occupying power, in that particular area, does not have the right to exploit natural resources in occupied territory that were not already being exploited when the occupation began. I understand that is based on international law.”

Brown was asked whether it was right for Israel to draw oil from the Abu Rodeis oilfields in the Sinai since that was an ongoing operation when Israel occupied the Sinai in 1967. Israel returned the oilfields to Egypt in 1974. Brown said he would not address that matter.

Asked whether Israel and its American employees should cease and desist from operating in the Suez area. Brown replied: “We believe Israeli development of oil resources in those occupied territories is not helpful to efforts to get peace negotiations underway and complicates the achievement of a settlement.”