Defense Minister Ezer Weizman will go to Cairo tomorrow to begin discussions on the military aspects of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty with Minister of War Mohammed Ali Hassan, it was announced today. This was the second change of plans since Sunday when the terrorist outrage at Nahariya caused Weizman to cancel his departure for the Egyptian capital that had been set for that day.
The three-day visit was postponed until after Israel’s Independence Day celebrations on May 2, with the assent of President Anwar Sadat who was reached by Premier Menachem. Begin over their “hot line.” But on reconsideration it was realized that a two-week delay would play into the hands of the terrorists whose stated objective is to wreck the Israeli-Egyptian pact. By forcing a postponement of vital talks they could have claimed a victory, sources here said.
Weizman will leave for Cairo tomorrow morning accompanied by his wife and his military secretary. He will not be joined however, by Chief of Staff Gen. Raphael Eitan or the Chief of Military Intelligence Gen. Yehoshua Sagui who had originally intended to hold talks with their Egyptian counterparts. Their presence in Israel apparently is required because of the tense situation created by the resurgence of terrorist activity.
Weizman and Hassan will discuss the various components of the peace agreement and future relations between the Israeli and Egyptian defense establishments. Two senior Israeli officers are already in Cairo. Gen. Abraham Tamir and Brig. Dov Sion have had a number of meetings with Egyptian officers on several matters including the ceremonial return of EI Arish in Sinai to Egyptian sovereignty late next month. The Egyptians attach great importance to that event.
Meanwhile, Israel and Egypt will exchange the instruments of ratification tomorrow that will formally put into effect their treaty signed in Washington March 26. The documents will be exchanged in low key ceremonies to be held at Umm Hashiba, on American-manned listening post in Sinai. Israel will be represented by Eliahu Ben-Elissar, Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office.
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.
