Foreign Minister Yigal Allon said over the weekend that Israel was ready to sign a mutual agreement with Lebanon to settle security problems on both sides of the border. Addressing the closing dinner of the fourth international mission of the Keren Hayesod United Israel Appeal, Allon said “We would like to see an independent and free and prosperous Lebanon which must not be included in the confrontation line.” He said that southern Lebanon should be cleared of foreign troops.
“I see no reason why Lebanon cannot negotiate mutual security arrangements along both sides of the border,” Allon said. “If Egypt and Syria could negotiate and sign an agreement, why cannot Lebanon?” Such an agreement, he said, would prevent misunderstandings in the future. Allon expressed satisfaction that Israel was patiently resorting to diplomatic means with respect to Lebanon rather than to “other means as some schwitzers (hot-heads) advised us to do.”
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