The Cabinet met in special session this morning to discuss future peace prospects and the issue of Israeli settlements in the occupied Arab territories which appears to have the ministers sharply divided. Defense Minister Ezer Weizman and several others are known to be pressing hard for a freeze on all new settlement activity as long as the peace-making process with Egypt continues.
Their position has been bolstered by recent U.S. pressure on the settlements issue. But the American condemnation of the settlements has only reinforced the position of the hardliners, headed by Minister of Agriculture Ariel Sharon, who want to push ahead with new settlement activity regardless of the opinion of Washington.
Meanwhile, political circles here are less than optimistic that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Alfred Atherton will score a quick or easy breakthrough in his efforts to secure Israeli and Egyptian agreement on a joint declaration of principles. Atherton came back here late today to resume his shuttle diplomacy between Jerusalem and Cairo and, possibly, other Mideast capitals.
Resumption of the stalled peace talks depends on finding a formula for the basic elements of a settlement acceptable to both sides. The outstanding issues on which Israel and Egypt remain far apart are Palestinian self-determination and the future of the West Bank.
Observers here see no signs that a shift by either side is imminent. Nor is it certain, by any means, that King Hussein of Jordan would join in the peace process even if Israel and Egypt agreed on a set of principles. Atherton will go to Amman next week to sound out Hussein on that crucial question. According to Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan, Jordan’s absence from the negotiations is the “fundamental obstacle” to their progress.
Following today’s four-hour Cabinet session which met as the ministerial security committee, Premier Menachem Begin explained that it was held because of the “accumulation of problems concerning the settlements.” Because not all the ministers had a chance to express themselves on this issue, Begin said the session would continue at the regular weekly Cabinet meeting next Sunday. Begin expressed optimism that the Cabinet would unanimously support the majority’s stand on the settlements issue.
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.
