Begin remarks irk Egypt

Press, 29 December 1979, Page 6

Begin remarks irk Egypt

NZPA-Reuter Cairo . Egypt has rejected statements by the Israeli Prime): Minister (Mr Menachem' Begin) that Israel will maintain control over the West Bank of the Jordan. This was a violation of[i the Camp David accords a! Foreign Ministry official: 1 said. ■ i Mr Begin was reported top have said in Kiryat Arba. on i the outskirts of Hebron inthe West Bank this week, that Israel will maintain i control of the territory. o Mr Begin also denied be- i fore the Knesset (Parlia- 1 ment) that the proposed au- i tonomy plan for the West ■«

Bank and Gaza Strip would lead to the establishment of [a Palestinian state. He said “Israel has never viewed these territories as occupied lands. The Jewish people has an inalienable .right to them." Egypt. Israel, and the United States are engaged in. [negotiations on autonomy [for the 1.2 million Palestinians in the two regions. Commenting on reported Israeli plans to spend $3OO million in the next fiscal year on building Jewish settlements on Arab land, the Egyptian official said "any new Israeli policy to create settlements is illegal.”