Likud Factions Feuding Over Settlements
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
Premier Menahem Begin
appeared to follow a middle
line between moderates and
militants in his own Likud
faction on the volatile issue
of settlements on the West
Bank. That was the subject
of a four-hour meeting of the
Likud Knesset bloc in the
Prime Minister's office ldst
week.
It was described as
"stormy" and "dramatic"
with right-wingers and
moderates hurling invec-
v e at each other. Begin re-
ortedly stayed out of the
fray, but observed in sum-
ming up that the debate did
"not add prestige" to Likud:
The Premier vigorously
defended his settlement
policies, vowing that the
fit
government will continue
large-scale settlement pro-
grams in the occupied ter-
ritories, but at times and in
places of its choosing and
would not be dictated to by
Gush Emunim zealots. The
debate coincided with a re-
surgence of Gush attempts
to establish unauthorized
settlements on the West
Bank, all of them aborteil by
the army acting on govern-
ment orders.
But the Gush appear to
have strong support
within Likud and its coal-
ition partner, the Na-
tional Religious Party.
peace treaty negotiations
with Egypt agreed to at
Camp David. Israel agreed
to freeze new settlements —
reserving the right to "thic-
ken" existing ones — while
negotiations were in pro-
gress. Begin insists that the
pledge was for three months
only. President Carter and
the Egyptians maintain
that it was to last for the
entire period of negotiations
for Palestinian self-rule on
the West and Gaza Strip.
That dispute has not been
resolved. But while Israel
claims_ the right to resume
settlement activity, it has
The-settlement issue has not done so yet. Hardliners
come to a head since the ex- in the Likud Knesset fac-
piration on Dec. 17 of the tion and in the Cabinet are
three-month period for ui.ging Begin that it is time
to undertake a more energe-
tic settlement program.
The most vociferous
advocates of unlimited
,settlements were Herut
NEW YORK (JTA) -- Chinese people and the diehards Geula Cohen
The possibility that the Jewish people have in and Moshe Shamir. They
People's Republic of China common more love for were joined by Moshe
may be _easing its stand of country than any other Arens, chairman of the
refusing to recognize Isrdel people." Squadron also powerful Knesset
was seen in comments by said Keng added that Foreign Affairs and Se-
Deputy Prime Minister China agreed with the curity Committee and
Keng Piao in Peking to a Egyptian position in the Yigael Hurwitz, who res-
delegation of visiting currently stalemated igned from the Cabinet
American civic leaders, ac- Middle East talks and last fall to protest the
Camp David agreements.
cording to Howard Squad- that Israel "must be re-
Arens, a rising force in
ron, president of the Ameri- sponsive to the needs of
can Jewish Congress, the the Egyptians" and that Herut circles, .said large-
only Jewish member of the in any settlement, Israel scale settlement was im-
delegation which had vis- "must withdraw from possible without the appro-
it'd China at the invitation most of the territory" it priation of lands by the gov-
of the post-Mao leadership. seized in the Six-Day ernment and without a sig-
nifiCant increase in aliya.
Squadron took notes of an War.
He defended the Gush as an
interview Nov. 25 with
Suqadron said in his
Keng and read from them to office that his initial reac- important reservoir of
reporters last week 'in his , tion was that Keng had not manpower for settlements.
But Likud factions boss
Manhattan law office
-Squadron said he asked told him anything. Later Haim Kaufman denounced
Keno if there could be any Leonard Woodcock, head,of the Gush and urged the
reconsideration of China's the U.S. mission to Peking, government not to be "led
standing refusal to recog- who had remained silent along" by them. Defense
nize 'Israel, in view of the through the question-and- Minister Ezer Weizman,
recent movements between answer session with the vis- who attended the meeting,
Israel, and Egypt toward a iting Americans, said there also reportedly spoke in
had been two important favor of moderation.
peace agreement.
* * *
Keng replied that "the changes in Keng's com-
ments.
One was the comment on
the similarities of love of
country of the Israelis and
NEW YORK — Israel's the Chinese. The other was
JERUSALEM (JTA)
collective agricultural the reference of partial Finance Minister Simha
communities (moshavim) withdrawal from occupied Ehrlich has requested IL 76
have put out the call -territories. Woodcock said million ($4 million) for the
world-wide for volunteers to that previously, the construction of additional
harvest crops between now Chinese have insisted that housing at three settle-
and April.
Israel must withdraw from ments on the West Bank.
According to Dani all occupied areas. Squad- But the Knesset Finance
Kritchman, an Israel Aliya ron said he had told Keng he Committee postponed a de-
Center shaliakh specializ- believed peace was likely in cision, pending further in-
ing in moshavim, this is the the Middle', East unless the formation from Housing
first time these agricultural Soviet Union caused "mis- Minister Gideon Patt and
settlements have recruited chief."
Minister of Agriculture,
volunteers.
Keng
responded, Ariel Sharon who heads the
The program is open to Squadron said, that ministerial settlement
ogles (18-35) and mar- China had watched the committee.
ed couples without Camp David summit
The money, to be trans-
children who will volun- talks, hoped they would ferred from the reserve
teer for at least one lead to peace but was not budget, -would finance 590
month of work on the in any position to help.
housing units in Givon,
moshay. Program par-
According to •Squadron, Hares and Karnei Shomron,
ticipants will be given a Keng said the United States all located in the Samaria
small living allowance should accelerate its efforts district.
and will receive room to bring about an
The requested sum is only
and board as part of a Egyptian-Israel peace be- part of the IL 279 million
moshav family if they cause if it did not, the Soviet earmarked by the treasury
wish. Volunteers who Union "would begin to deal to "thicken" the three set-
wish to live outside the with this situation through tlements. A senior treasury
moshav and commute to the rujectionist front," a official explained that some
work daily will be given a reference to the Arab coun- IL 35 million was originally
larger allowance.
tries which have criticized intended for the Yamit
For information about the Egypt's talks with Israel region but became available
program, write Kritchman and have sought to per- for the West Bank when
at the Israel Aliya Center, suade Egyptian President work was halted around
515 Park Ave., New York Anwar Sadat to call off the Yamit after the Camp
City, 10022.
negotiations.
David agreements.
Squadron Sees Shift
in China Attitude to Israel
Moshavim Seek
Volunteer Aid
e
Settlement Funds
Still Postponed
Begin for his part,
stressed that the govern-
ment was carrying out its
1977 election platform
promises with respect to
settlements. "We have
opened Samaria to Jewish
settlement," he declared,
noting that that area had
been "ideologically closed"
by his Labor Party pre-
decessors.
Shortly after the meet-
ing ended, clashes
erupted on the West Bank
where Gush militants
blocked the Nablus-
Tulkarem road to protest
the frustration of their
settlement plans by the
army. Some 20 vehicles
were parked across the
highway. Israel Radio
reported that fist-fights
broke out between Gush
members and irate
motorists.
Troops moved in at night-
fall. Several Gush were ar-
rested and others were
given traffic tickets. Mean-
while, a group of 25 Gush
families remained camped
at a roadblock where troops
have prevented their ad-
vance toward an un-
authorized settlement site
near Nablus since Sunday
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, January 12, 1919 13
Tax Evaders Hit
JERUSALEM — Israel's
Finance Ministry is consid-
ering a plan -in which no Is-
raeli citizen will be permit-
ted to travel abroad until it
has been determined that
his income taxes have been
paid.
Disco
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Dan Sandberg
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