Interim Pact ‘principles’ No ‘proposals’; Recommends 4-mile Pull-back from Canal

The conditions Israel passed on to the United States for an interim agreement with Egypt to reopen the Suez Canal have been officially defined as “principles” not “proposals,” well informed sources said today. This definition was required because of a Knesset resolution barring any withdrawal of Israeli forces from the canal in the absence of a peace treaty with Egypt. Should Cairo accept Israel’s “principles,” the Knesset would be asked to formally amend its resolution, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency was told. The JTA learned that a committee of experts appointed by the government to study the military and strategic aspects of an interim solution recommended an Israeli pull-back of seven kilometers (4.3) miles from the east bank of the waterway. The Israeli memorandum that Washington is expected to convey to Cairo makes it clear that the proposed arrangement is not a final settlement and that Israel will not agree that “the removal of forces a certain distance from the Suez Canal line within the framework of an arrangement for reopening the Suez Canal should be a stage toward further withdrawals.”

Sources here noted that the definite article was omitted from the reference to forces indicating that Israel’s “principles” did not necessarily envisage the withdrawal of all its forces from the canal banks. Israel appeared to leave the door open for further bargaining. The first of its conditions was that no Egyptian or Soviet soldier was to cross the canal once Israeli forces pulled back. However, Defense Minister Moshe Dayan who has been taking an active part in consultations on an interim arrangement is known to favor a solution that would permit Egyptian civilian armed guards to enter the evacuated area to protect technicians and workers employed to get the canal reopened. However, Israel would insist that they be civilians under civilian control. Israel’s second principle demands that Egypt terminate its state of belligerency with Israel that has existed since 1948. The third principle calls on Egypt to agree to the transit of Israeli vessels through the Suez Canal. On this matter, Gen. Dayan has reportedly expressed the view that if agreement between Israel and Egypt can be reached on all other points, he would consider a solution without obtaining Israel’s right of passage through the canal.