Sadat-Weizman Meeting a Preview of Sunday's Summit
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Defense Minister Ezer Weizman returned from
Egypt Wednesday after two meetings with President Anwar Sadat in
Ismailia and two prolonged working sessions with Egyptian War
Minister Mohammed Gamassy near Alexandria. The Israeli defense chief
refused to reveal what subjects he discussed with Gamassy but stressed
that they dealt only with questions relating to Egypt, not the West Bank.
He said the purpose of his meetings with his Egyptian counterpart was to
find the right moves to the road toward peace, or, rather, what moves
would ensure Israel's security in peace time.
Weizman, who began consultations immediately with Premier Menahem
Begin in Jerusalem, told reporters at Ben-Gurion Airport that he might not
The Moods That
Make the New
Middle East
DeyelopMents
Causes for
Confidence
be optimistic but was full of hope. It was learned that one subject he
discussed was the establishment of "hot line" telephone connections
between the Israeli Defense Ministry and the Egyptian defense estab-
lishment to prevent any possible outbreak of hostilities due to a mistake or
misunderstanding.
Weizman indicated that he might go to Egypt again before Begin and
Sadat hold their summit meeting at Ismailia Sunday. He said that would
be decided in the course of his consultations with Begin Wednesday night.
The meeting at the Prime Minister's residence was attended by Deputy
Premier Yigael Yadin and other senior Cabinet ministers.
(Continued on Page 6)
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review
Commentary, Page 2
[
* of Jewish Events
EZER WEIMIAN
Defense Minister
Quest for Peace
Inseparable-
From World
Jewry's Duties
as Protectors
of Israel's Social and
Economic Needs
Editorial, Page 4
VOL. LXXII, No. 16 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833 $12.00 Per Year: This Issue 30e December 23,1977
Criticsm of Menahem Begin Muted
peaceEffortsGaining - Momentum
With Apparent U.S. Endorsement
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Premier Menachem Begin returned from the U.S. Tuesday night
claiming that his peace proposals had "won tremendous support" from the Carter
Administration and leaders of both major American political parties. The Premier landed
- at Ben-Gurion Airport after a five-hour stop-over in London where he briefed Prime
Minister James Callaghan and Gen. Jean Francois Poncet, a special emissary of Presi-
dent Valery Giscard Estaing of France, on his proposals.
Begin appeared well-satisfied with the results of his five-day visit to Washington and
New York. "I went to the U.S. taking with me a good plan," he told reporters at the
airport. "I am back today and I have good news with me. Our plan has won tre-
mendous support by the U.S. — by the President and his aides, the secretary of state
and others — as a fair basis for starting negotiations that will lead towards peace." He
said the plan also had the blessings of former President Gerald . Ford and former
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Begin discussed the growing disquiet within his own Likud faction and especially
among his hard-core Herut supporters over elements of his peace plan as reported in
the press, particularly his offer of "self rule" to the Arabs of the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. Begin insisted that the plan in no way deviates from the precepts of Herut and
predicted that opposition would fade away once misunderstandings of his proposals
are corrected.
Nevertheless, the Premier's first order of business Wedneday was a meeting with
Likud leaders to explain the essence of his peace proposals. He convened the Cabinet in
special session Thursday and despite doubts expressed earlier in the week by some
ministers., he was expected to get unanimous endorsement of his peace package before
brings it to President Anwar Sadat of Egypt at their summit meeting in Ismailia Sunday.
, . , v
Moshe Arens, chairman of the Knesset's foreign affairs and security committee,
defended Begin against charges that he kept the Knesset in the dark about his plans
while speaking freely to U.S. Congressmen and the American media. Arens said it was
necwssary to reveal the principles of the plan to the media in order to ensure the
support of American public opinion.
Begin's return put a damper on criticism within Likud ranks and many MKs who
were complaining that his proposals were tantamount to endorsing a Palestinian
state were mute Wednesday. Herut firebrand Geula Cohen moderated her criticism
and expressed "basic confidence" in Begin's leadership.
Meanwhile, Labor Alignment leaders, whose only area of agreement in recent months
has been opposition to the Begin government's policies, were split on that issue.
Paradoxically, Begin's peace proposals have won the support from Labor's right and left .
wings. Only the center, led by Alignment Leader Shimon Peres, former Premier Yitzhak
Rabin and former Foreign Minister Yigal Allon continued to complain that Begin's "self
rule" plan would create the infrastructure for a Palestinian state. But they seemed to be
increasingly isolated within their own party.
Deputy Defense Minister Mordechai Zipori faced a barrage of criticism when he visited
several Golan Heights settlements this week.
The settlers demanded that he explain a published interview that quoted him as saying
that it was not impossible that some Golan settlements would find themselves under
Syrian sovereignty if a peace treaty. is signed with Damascus. Zipori claimed his
statement was not correctly interpreted. He said the government entertains no such
ideas and, in fact, plans to invest large sums on the Golan Heights. He said a
(Continued on Page 14)
Heads of
Two Nations
and Their
First Ladies
in Jovial
,Menahem Begin and Jimmy Carter
Moods
Aliza Begin and Rosalyn Carter.