Dayan criticises Kissinger

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33777, 25 February 1975, Page 17

Dayan criticises Kissinger

fNZ. Press Association—Copyright* NEW YORK. February 24. “I don't think Henry Kissinger has or ever could have id—any real ideas about possible Middle East solutions.” This derisive comment on the U.S. Secretary of State’s latest Midd'e Fast negotiations came from General Moshe Dayan. Israel’s former Defence Minister, in an interview published in “Newsweek.”

General Dayan added that Dr Kissinger, wrestling with problems from China to Moscow, didn’t even know the geography of the Sinai. Nor did General Dayan subscribe to Dr Kissinger’s step-by-step programme for dealing with the Arabs. “Look what we Israelis have with Jordan now — open bridges with free traffic between Israel and Jordan,” he said. “If Kissinger had to achieve this he would have shuttled between here and Jordan for the rest of his life and he still wouldn’t have done it. We were lucky Kissinger didn’t touch it.” As for negotiations with Egypt, General Dayan said: “Sadat (Egypt’s President) cannot expect us to give up the Sinai passes and the oil fields without a written pledge to terminate the war But for an Arab’s autograph you have to sign away half of your country.” General Dayan said that he originally opposed Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights but now he opposed surrendering this territory because “even if we did, Syria would not make peace with us.” He also opposed negotiating with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (P.L.0.) on establishing a Palestinian State and other questions. He was quoted: “I don’t think we will ever get out of the west bank (of Jordan). We should not negotiate with the P.L.0., even if it recognises Israel, nor with King Hussein of Jordan about territorial division of the West Bank. West Bank people should stay Jordanian citizens with representation in Amman. The open bridges between Israel and Jordan should remain. There should be no talk of separation of forces with Jordan or of returning Jericho to Jordan.”

General Dayan said that h< preferred separate peace negotiations with Egypt anti then, if the Arabs insisted the completion of the arrangements at Geneva. H< added:

[ "I am not afraid of Geneva . what’s the difference between Kissinger shuttling between Tel Avis and Cairo or between rooms at Geneva?”