Sen. Henry Jackson (D. Wash.) and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger strongly warned this weekend against moves that would establish a Palestinian state. Kissinger suggested quick negotiations for an agreement between Israel and Jordan that would forestall a Palestinian state that he and Jackson saw as disastrous for Israel.
In other discussions on the eve of the meetings here tomorrow and Wednesday between President Carter and Premier Menachem Begin of Israel, Sen. Frank Church (D.Idoho) specifically warned against attempts to pressure Israel into surrendering positions essential to her nationhood, “including settlements.”
Appearing on the CBS-TV program “Face the Nation,” Church was asked whether the Arab nations would “sell us enough oil” if, when Begin is in Washington, “we don’t put some kind of pressure for a solution in the Middle East.” The Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman replied:
“You know, that is another nation that just makes me wonder about the state of reality in this capital. When it comes to protecting their vital interests, the Israelis will not been to pressure. Now, if we can demonstrate to Israel that the U.S. will stand with them in the future, as we have in the past, and there in no real basis for concern that they will be left isolated and alone, that is the way we can influence them the best, and in the past they have gone quite for to get peace.”
Asked, “Is your answer no?” Church responded: “My answer is that you cannot pressure the Israelis into giving up items that they regard as essential to their survival as a free and independent nation. And therefore, our influence is best exercised when we are sensitive to their concern.”
ISSUE OF SETTLEMENTS
Jackson, appearing on NBC-TV’s “Meet the Press,” was asked whether he would use his influence with Begin to “persuade him to change his settlement policy” which, “President Carter and Sadat and a substantial section of Israeli opinion agree” is “an obstacle to peace.”
Jackson replied: “I think the Israelis made a serious mistake in over emphasizing the issue of settlements,” but he said “clearly anyone has a right to settle in the West Bank area. That goes back to the Treaty of Versailles and the British Mandate.”
Jackson added that “the key issue here is not the settlements,” but “defensible borders.” He continued if you have a completely sovereign and independent Palestinian state on the West Bank, obviously you run of dagger into the heart of the State of Israel. No way it can survive. And soon they (the Palestinians) could enter into a sovereign state, invite the Russians in. That’s the end of Israel.
“So the issue should be how do you provide for local participation in government in the West Bank, and at the same time give to the State of Israel the security responsibility, to have defensible borders. Now that is the heart of it. And I regret that it has become a key issue on the part of some of the Israelis. And it’s a mistake.”
Addressing some 350 American, Canadian and British Jews behind closed doors Saturday night Kissinger said that a Palestinian state would be a disaster for Israel and the Middle East, for it would be another radical state tied to Iran. The Middle East, he said, is near collapse today and the only hope is rapid negotiations between Israel and Jordan, which would result in the transfer of Arab population and permit Israel to retain its security. He advised that the U.S. provide the credibility to give backup to Jordan, noting that in the last few years Jordan had no reason to trust U.S. words and support. He did not elaborate on the meaning of transfer.
Kissinger spoke at a dinner at the Kennedy Center sponsored by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science. Reporters were banned from the dinner, but the Jewish Telegraphic Agency was able to obtain the gist of his remarks from among those attending.
Kissinger, who has been consistent since his services in the Nixon and Ford Administrations against Palestinian statehood, predicted the current autonomy process for the West Bank will lead to one demand after another upon Israel. To go further along on the present course of autonomy will mean Israel will face disaster, he observed.
Apart from recommending a speedy agreement between Israel and Jordan, Kissinger said he felt a new framework and definition of the Camp David formula is necessary. While critical of President Carter’s foreign policy, Kissinger said that the Camp David agreement was an accomplishment, but that it required a new framework now. He said that a new definition of Camp David would mean the PLO would be seen as an Arab problem, not an Israeli problem.
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