The Cabinet began its discussions today on the Israeli government’s position for the summit conference at Camp David Sept. 5. “We have not yet concluded the discussions, and decisions will be made next Sunday,” Premier Menachem Begin said after the Cabinet meeting.
Begin said that if the Cabinet supports his idea of a “permanent partial peace settlement” in which he would propose peaceful relations with the Arabs until a formal peace agreement can be negotiated, he will submit that proposal to President Carter and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat at Camp David.
In an interview with the Arab-language daily, Al Anba, published today, Begin said he has additional ideas on this partial peace settlement proposal but declined to go into details. He stressed that Israel wants peace treaties with all its neighbors. “But if this is not possible for now, we can reach a state of peaceful relations which will pave the way for peace treaties,” he said.
Begin said after today’s Cabinet meeting that the United States has not submitted any guidelines for the summit. He said the Israeli delegation to the summit will be decided upon next week but he will suggest that Deputy Premier Yigael Yadin be included.
THREE VIEWS OVER SUMMIT MEETING
The Cabinet is reportedly split into three views over the upcoming Camp David meeting. One supports Begin and Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan on Israel’s peace plan which provides for self-rule for Arabs living on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as well as Begin’s new proposal.
A more moderate position is taken by Defense Minister Ezer Weizman, who believes that Israel should reexamine its position in order to seek to reach a complete peace settlement, especially if Sadat repeats the views he expressed to Weizman in Salzburg, Austria last month. The third group is made up of the hawks, who feel Israel should only present its original peace plan at the meeting.
In his interview with Al Anba, Begin stressed that his plan to provide the Arabs with self-rule permits the residents of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to conduct their own affairs except for security matters. “The matter of security cannot be relinquished,” he said, “for it is impossible to relinquish our security to those who call themselves the PLO.”
Begin said Israel is not considering making any changes in its plan, but “it does contain paragraphs which are open to negotiation.” He also said he does not expect the U.S. to submit its own proposals at the summit “because it is not a party to the conflict.” He again said that while the Camp David meeting is important, it is not “fateful” and “it does not constitute the end of the road. There will be other talks as well.”
ISRAEL WILL SEEK TO BRIDGE POSITION WITH EGYPT
Meanwhile, Dayan stressed yesterday that Israel will go to Camp David with a completely open mind and will try to bridge the gap between its position and that of Egypt. Dayan spoke at Kfar Hamaccabiah at a forum sponsored by a group dedicated to the principles of the late David Ben Gurion. Former Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin also appeared.
Dayan said that success at Camp David could facilitate the resumption of practical negotiations for peace. But, he stressed, an agreement must recognize the right of the Israeli army to maintain security in the West Bank; the right of Israelis to buy land on the West Bank, settle there and move freely through the area; and that a solution to the area be found in which neither Israel nor Jordan would annex it.
Rabin urged territorial compromise on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. But he said he opposed returning to the 1967 borders. “Whoever supports such a withdrawal encourages the illusion in the Arab world that the day will come when it will be possible to eliminate the Jewish State,” Rabin declared.
CONCERN ABOUT CAMP DAVID TALKS
Some Israelis, meanwhile, have been expressing concern about the Camp David talks. They have noted that Carter reportedly called the conference in response to a belief that Egypt was preparing for a war in October if negotiations failed. They said that the U.S. should have pointed out to the Egyptians that the 1975 Sinai agreement forbids either side from threatening war against the other.
There has also been some concern that the talks will be in the isolated environs of Camp David in Maryland where the press will not be permitted. This means the only version of the talks will come from the White House spokesman.
But as for the government itself, an inter-ministerial committee is preparing for the Cabinet all documents on the peace negotiations dating back to Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem last November. The documents are to be submitted by Thursday. The committee is made up of Eliyahu Ben-Elissar, director general of the Premier’s Office; Avraham Tamir, head of the army’s planning branch; and Meir Rosenne, the Foreign Ministry’s legal advisor, all of whom took part in the initial Israeli-Egyptian peace conference in Cairo last December; and Meir Gabai, director general of the Justice Ministry.
In Cairo, Egyptian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Boutros Ghali, met yesterday with American Ambassador Hermann Eilts to discuss arrangements for the summit. Foreign Ministry experts were also reportedly preparing a position paper on Egypt’s policy to be presented at Camp David. Sources said the document will be prepared within the framework of Egypt’s demand for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The document will also take into consideration the meetings and contacts with all parties since Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem last November.
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.
