Begin plans to defy world over office

Press, 22 July 1980, Page 8

Begin plans to defy world over office

NZPA-Reuter Jerusalem The Israeli Prime Minister (Mr Menachem Begin) plans to move his office soon to Arab East Jerusalem despite world-wide opposition, the; director-general of the Prime! Minister’s office. Natityahu Shmulewitz. said yesterday on Israel Radio. Mr Shmulewitz’s statement was the first clear indication that the Prime Minister intended to go ahead with the move. The office has denied previous press statements that the move was imminent.’ Mr Shmulewitz said: “The office will move and I hope it will be soon. Construction! work on a new complex of: Government offices in the. Sheik Jarrah quarter of East!

Jerusalem is almost completed and we at the Prime ■ Minister’s office have our eve on one of the buildings. 'He added that the decision : to move must be taken by the Cabinet. >i Israel captured East Je- ; i rusalem from Jordan during- • the 1967 war. It immediately; i claimed sovereignty over the! ■ whole of the united city. A private members bill to. Jerusalem the e t er *’. j'.nai united capital of Israel, * is scheduled to have its first- > reading in the Knesset (Par-i : liament) tomorrow. However, with the Knesset rirecess due at the end of the ilmonth, it has almost no i‘chance of becoming law "‘until the autumn (northern) j The United States arm

■ bassador to Israel (Mr Sam- : uel Lewis) met Mr Begin last month to express anxi iety at the repeated rumours ■ that the Prime Minister intended to move his office to (East Jerusalem. ;j The British Foreign Secretary (Lord Carrington) said > in an interview on Israel i television that it would not >I be an advisable move. This -■drew a scornful response 11 from Mr Begin who said tithat it was not Britain’s ■ i business to advise him - where to site his office. Other West European am- : bassadors have indicated to • the Israeli Government that ’ they would not be able to i visit the Prime Minister in the new office on official, business.