Deputy Premier Yigael Yadin warned here that the inclusion of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Middle East peace negotiations could cause Israel to withdraw from the talks. At the same time he said that the meeting between U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young and the PLO observer at the UN, Zehadi Labib Terzi, was “an obvious departure” from the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. “I must say openly that in fact a part of the peace treaty has been erased.”
Yadin, who made these statements as he was departing today for a 10-day visit to the United States, said that “if ever the PLO will be recognized by some others as a partner to the peace negotiations, that means that Israel will be out of the game. Therefore, everyone will have to think twice about what they want.” Either, he added, negotiations will take place with the PLO at the peace table but with Israel absent, or the talks will be held with Israel present and the PLO absent.”
The Deputy Premier, who will spend his time in the U.S. explaining Israel’s position, primarily in meetings with the media and Jewish leaders, charged that there is “an absolute diversion from its former policies on the part of Washington, and (Israel) shall oppose any attempt to either change UN Resolution 242 or amend it in any way. He was referring to Israeli fears that a Kuwaiti-sponsored resolution in the Security Council could change the meaning of Resolution 242 by including a call for Palestinian self-determination and a Palestinian state.
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