MRS MEIR TO MAKE POLICY STATEMENT

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32336, 30 June 1970, Page 13

MRS MEIR TO MAKE POLICY STATEMENT

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) JERUSALEM. June 29. The Israeli Prime Minister (Mrs Golda Meir) will make a major policy statement to Parliament today, amid concern over the latest Middle East peace initiatives announced by the United States Secretary of State (Mr William Rogers).

So far there has been no official Israeli reaction to the new United States proposals, and Mrs Meir may not refer to it directly, but limit herself to stating again Israel’s position on a settlement with her Arab neighbours.

The Prime Minister outlined her statement during a five hour and a half special session of the Cabinet yesterday, which was attended by the Ambassador in Washington (General Yizhak Rabin), who was summoned home for urgent consultations on Thursday. According to well informed sources, the public reaction of the Israeli leaders to the American proposals are likely to be restrained, but it will be made clear that Israel could not agree to anything that meant the sacrifice of her vital security. Any withdrawal from occupied territories without a genuine peace within secure and guaranteed borders is out of the question.

On the battle front yester-! day, Israeli jet aircraft and [artillery attacked guerrilla [posts in Jordan and Lebanon after one man had been killed and four people wounded by rocket and bazooka attacks on several Israeli towns.

I Israeli aircraft also continued their bombardment of Egyptian positions along the [Suez Canal front. [ It is reported from Amman [that at the first meeting of [the new Jordanian Cabinet [yesterday, a Ministerial committee was formed, under the I leadership of the Prime MiniIster (Mr Abdel-Monein AlRifai), to discuss with the team of four formed by Arab leaders recently, the crisis between the Jordanian authorities and Palestinian commandos. There has been no reaction yet by commando organisaitions to the formation of the [new Jordanian Government, but observers believe that the inclusion of Ministers who are close to the commandos, and the fact that many of the new Government’s principles conform to commando objects, will help to remove many of the obstacles to closer relations.