Former Deputy Foreign Minister Yehuda Ben-Meir told visiting American Jewish leaders today that the effort by Israel and the United States to help Lebanon achieve full sovereignty was no longer achievable.
“The goal was a worthy one and we gave it a good try,” he told the more than 70 persons participating in the four-day mission here by the Conference of Presidents Major American Jewish Organizations.
Thirty-One of the organization’s 37 groups are represented, including 22 presidents of national Jewish organizations. They were welcomed here last night by Harry Hurwitz, an advisor to the Premier, and Moshe Gilboa, director for the Foreign Ministry’s Division of World Jewish Affairs. The Jewish leaders began their mission today with private background meetings on foreign affairs, including a briefing at the Knesset with the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Speaking at a luncheon meeting at the Jerusalem Hilton, Ben-Meir, who is now a National Religious Party MK on the committee, said the Israel army in south Lebanon can no longer be used for the political purpose of helping Lebanon achieve sovereignty but must concentrate efforts on realigning to ensure Israel’s major objective of ensuring the safety and security of northern Israel.
At the same time, Ben-Meir rejected the view that the goal of a free and sovereign Lebanon was never achievable. He said there were a number of moments when Lebanon was “on the verge” of achieving these objectives. But he said the Lebanese people “do not have the will” to come together for national unity but retain their separate identity as members of various groups. However, Ben-Meir said Israel should continue to support the Christians and Druze but not depend on them.
The American-born Ben-Meir repeated the warning by Premier Yitzhak Shamir against Lebanon abrogating its May 17 agreement with Israel. He said the agreement is “binding” and if Lebanon abandons it, Israel would no longer be bound by the commitments it made in south Lebanon.
Ben-Meir called on the American Jewish leaders to continue using their influence with the U.S. government to press Egypt to “keep her part of the bargain” in the peace treaty with Israel. He noted that he knew that the Presidents Conference has raised the issue repeatedly with U.S. government leaders and with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in meetings with him in Washington.
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