Eban: Not a Single Friendly Nation Has Suggested Israel Accept Uar Proposals As is

Foreign Minister Abba Eban told the Knesset today that not a single friendly government, including the United States, has suggested that Israel accept the latest Egyptian proposals as they stand. However, some of them attach importance to Egypt’s expression of willingness to enter into a peace agreement with Israel and the Israeli government shares this view, Eban said. The drafting of Israel’s reply to the Egyptian note apparently has been completed but there was no indication today when it would be submitted to United Nations mediator Dr. Gunnar V. Jarring for transmission to Cairo. An official communique issued here today said the reply would refer to the Cabinet’s declaration of last Sunday that Israel will not return to the borders that existed on June 4, 1967, the eve of the Six-Day War. Eban termed “groundless” reports that some members of the Cabinet wanted that reference omitted from the reply and that an alternative note was being considered by himself and Premier Golda Meir. Informed sources said the Israeli reply makes it clear that any subject can be raised in the course of negotiations between Israel and Egypt, including Egypt’s demand for total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, but that Israel is not prepared to start negotiations under the burden of prior conditions. The sources said the reply also calls for a “direct dialogue” with Egypt and expresses Israel’s willingness to discuss the reopening of the Suez Canal.

Eban told the Knesset that the reply makes no reference to the March 7 expiration date of the current cease-fire extension because Israel recognizes no time limit on the cease-fire, Eban said the U.S. government has disavowed any responsibility for the wording of Jarring’s latest questionnaire to Israel and Egypt which the Israelis found objectionable. However, he said, U.S. Under-Secretary of State Joseph J. Sisco has informed Israel that the State Department approves the content of that document. Eban said he had “no reason to assume that the U.S. has abandoned its policy with regard to the need to draw defensible borders resulting from a peace agreement.” Informed sources said the government has formed three committees to draw up territorial maps indicating what borders Israel would accept as defensible. Replying to questions, Eban said that “to the best of my knowledge, the U.S. does not support the precise delineation of guarantees” of a Mideast peace by the Big Powers “as long as the parties to the conflict have made no advance toward a peace agreement and have not asked for external backing for the agreement not yet reached.” Mrs. Meir said in Beersheba last night that Israel wanted borders that would make Arab leaders “think twice before waging another war against us.” She said defensible borders would “persuade them that another war would be too costly an adventure.”