Several West Bank leaders declared yesterday that they are seeking clarification of the Camp David agreements, particularly as it applies to autonomy for their area, before taking a position. But Bethlehem Mayor Elias Freij said that if the agreements are as Premier Menachem Begin outlined them to the Knesset yesterday “we reject the whole Camp David concept.”
Freij denied reports that the West Bank leaders have been having meetings with Israeli officials on the accords. He said the only contacts by the Arabs so far have been among themselves. It had been reported earlier that Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan has already begun discussions with leaders of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
It is understood that Freij and the other West Bank leaders are looking for guidance from Jordan and from the United States Consulate in Jerusalem. The Consulate, located in East Jerusalem, has been making a major effort to obtain support from West Bank leaders for the Camp David agreements. The West Bank leaders, however, are seeking further clarification of the autonomy plan and of the future status of Jerusalem.
However, according to a report in Maariv, there are several West Bank leaders who are willing to accept an Israeli military presence in the area on the condition that all Israeli settlements will be stopped. These people, who do not want to be identified at present, say that the Israeli presence would be limited to policing and guarding the area without any interference into local civilian affairs. They believe that the autonomy plan will start the process of independence for the West Bank which, once begun, will be difficult to stop.
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.
