-Ageopmeemeeedunineee411111 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, June 6, 1975 35 Eban Satisfied With End of Labor Party's °Great Debate' JERUSALEM (JTA) — Abba Eban has emerged from the Labor Alignment's "political debate" satisfied and encouraged. The debate clearly showed, he says, that he is not "an eccentric loner" within the Labor movement, a "maverick" in his questioning of the gov- ernment's peace policy. The views which he stated in the first session of the debate were echoed by veteran Mapam leaders, by some ex- Ahdut Haovadah members, and by several members of ex-Mapai including Pinhas Sapir. Political pundits have cal- culated that almost half of the 30-odd speakers who tool' part in "the great de- bate" sided with Eban in his call for the government to draft an overall peace plan now, and to draft its territo- rial provisions dovishly. Eban believes his own outspoken criticism of the government was the cause or at least the catalyst of the decision to hold the de- bate. And the debate, he says, was thoroughly bene- ficial. Eban noted that many observers saw him as the focus of the dovish camp which evolved during the debate beyond the former dove-hawk demarcation lines, and certainly trans- versed the old factional divides within the Labor Alignment. He believes that the continuation and intensification of the de- bate is inevitable as the "moment of truth" inexor- ably approaches. He still believes that an interim settlement will solve nothing in the long- or even medium-range pe- riod, and therefore sees lit- tle purpose in it, beyond, perhaps, an improvement of the atmosphere at the subsequent resumption of the Geneva conference. For the conference will certainly reconvene, Eban asserts, very probably this year, whether or not there is an interim Israeli-Egyp- tian accord. "An interim settlement cannot provide a long period of quiescence," he says. He does not subscribe to Ra- bin's thesis that Israel's prime aim must be to "gain time" through the "seven lean years" ahead. "It is impossible to play for time . . . We simply won't be left alone for years after an in- terim settlement with Egypt . . . The Soviets and the Arabs will take us to Ge- neva soon enough . . . ," he said. His "impression‘;" says Eban, is that Kissinger,is similarly aware of the inev- itability and imminence of Geneva, regardless of an interim settlement. All this being so, "June 1975 is not too early for the government to tell the peo- ple that Geneva is in the off- ing" and to prepare its peace plan accordingly, Eban says. In his speech at La- bor's "great debate," Eban outlined a 20-point list of "components of peace" which he recommended that the government demand at Geneva. Eban- points out that his tactical — as distinct from Peace for the Arabs, he long-term strategic — criti- explained, must be a major cisms of the government's revolution in their pat- present policy were shared terns of thought and life. by more than half of the Their fundamental atti- participants in the debate. tude to the existence of Is- Former Defense Minister rael must undergo a dras- Moshe Dayan, for instance, tic change — which must who does not share Eban's find expression in these minimalist views on bor- legal, political, diplo- ders, agreed with him nev- matic, economic, social ertheless on the need for the and cultural provisions government to seize the pol- which together comprise itical initiative and break "peace" as it is under- out of its present do-nothing stood by other neighboring posture, Eban remarked. nations who live side by Many of those defending side without hostility. the government's tactics Israel should begin with a were in fact members of the cabinet, who share responsi- "maximalist" line in its bility for them and could peace demands, Eban said. hardly have been expected If the Arabs find the list un- to speak otherwise, Eban palatable in its entirety, points out. The current Is- then there is logical justifi- raeli position, Eban says, is cation in seeking a compro- that "we have nothing more mise — in the form of par- to offer on an interim settle- tial settlements — in which ment and do not wish to dis- the Arabs accept some of Is- cuss at this stage an overall settlement." Eban has all along op- Soviets to Sell ° .posed an i.nterim settle- Reactor to Libya ment, mainly because he be- lieves that such vital assets NEW YORK — Libya as the Mitle Pass should be traded in the context of a announced this week that more meaningful and more the Soviet Union has agreed to sell it a nuclear reactor to permanent arrangement. He still feels this way, but be used for "peaceful mea- he said that if the govern- sures only," according to ment still hopes for an in- news sources. terim settlement — as it Libya is believed to seek clearly does—it must strike nuclear power to pump huge out to achieve one soon and quantities of water from un- not allow the post-suspen- derground to irrigate desert sion immobility take root in land in which the Tripoli the region — with all the government has been invest- dangers that immobility can ing billions of dollars for ag- spell. ricultural development. rael's peace demands and Is- rael accepts some of the Arabs territorial demands. But it is "not very intelli- gent" for Israel to expect the Arabs to declare at Geneva that they are ready for peace without Israel simul- taneously stating its territo- rial demands, Eban points out. Rabin and other minis- ters have argued that what- ever Israel puts forward as its minimal territorial de- mands will he treated by the other side as maximum bar- gaining positions — and they conclude therefore that it would be wiser not to draft a peace plan. Eban takes cognizance of the argument, but demurs to the conclusion. He does not propose, he says, that Israel present now precisely delineated maps: but it must make clear its basic "propositions." These, he says, should be: That territorial con- cessions depend in their scope on the Arabs' re- sponse to Israel's peace demands. That in the event of some Arab re- sponse, Israel would insist on extensive demilitariza- tion of areas returned and on changes in the 1967 lines which, while not rad- ically changing the pre- 1967 borders, would "significantly change the conditions under which we live." The aim should be to avoid annexing large areas or large populations. Israel must "stay up on the Golan" — but Eban does not define extra-territorial arrange- "stay up." There would have ment. Together with then- to be a relatively small ministers Menachem change at Rafah (south of gin and Zerach Warhaftig, the Gaza Strip), retention of he drafted soon after the, control and access at Sharm Six-Day War, a letter to el-Sheikh (for which a jurid- United Nations Secretary ical arrangement could be General U Thant inform- made)'and Jerusalem must ing him of the cabinet deci- remain united. sion to this effect. Even if these moderate On the Palestinian ques- demands were rejected by tion, Eban endorses the the Arabs, Eban says they "Yariv formula" which ex- would heel) Israel's relations pressed willingness to nego- with the powers and the tiate with any Palestinian wider world by giving the lie representation that recog- to the "expansionist" allega- nizes Israel. Under its pre- . tions. sent leaders-hip, the PLO is Israel's insistence that unlikely to come to recog- Jerusalem never be redi- nize Israel, and therefore vided has gained much Israel must continue to op- support in the world, Eban pose a separate Palestinian *points out. The question of state on the West Bank, as the holy places would have long as that is the case, to be solved by some sort of Eban says firmly. . Your Gilt for ratiber's Da Bring this coupon in, and we'll give you any top designer suit, sportcoat, shirt, sweater, pant, tie or accessory we have in the store. Or, give him one of Doug Hoffman, Ltd's gift certificates...so he can pick it out himself. In either case, you're sure he'll be getting the finest fashions, clothing and accessories in the area. Your gift for Father's Day? Make sure it's from Doug Hoffman, Ltd. Then you know it'll be what he wants. DOUG HOFFMAN IUD. 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