Begin unbending on Jerusalem’s status

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 8

Begin unbending on Jerusalem’s status

NZPA-Reuter Jerusalem The Israeli Prime Minister (Mr Menachem Begin), due to hold a summit with the Egyptian President (Mr Anwar Sadat) this week, has repeated Israel’s view that Arab East Jerusalem must remain part of the Israeli capital. Mr Begin spoke one day after Mr Sadat urged all Muslims to co-operate in what he called the liberation of Jerusalem. Mr Begin said the Arab section of the city, captured from Jordan in 1967, must stay part of Israel’s capital forever. But the Israeli .response was mild, contrasting with the intensity of the argument a year agor between Egypt and Israel over the future of the Holy City. Then a law enacted by the Knesset (Parliament), declaring the entire city Israel’s eternal capital, prompted Mr

Sadat to suspend talks on Palestinian autonomy in occupied Arab territory. The talks have not been resumed since. Mr Sadat’s statement in a message to the league of Arab and Islamic nations came as a surprise in Israel and was discussed at the regular weekly Cabinet meeting. The meeting also discussed the missile crisis with Syria. Israel has made it plain it would carry on attacking Palestinian guerrillas in Lebanon despite the continuing crisis there. The Cabinet meeting was attended by many of Israel’s military leaders, including the Chief of Staff (Lieu-tenant-General Rafael Eitan), the Air Force chief, (Major-General David Ivry) and the Military Intelligence director, Saguy. There have been no political moves over the last year

on the status of Jerusalem. When Mr Sadat embarked on his surprise peace mission in 1977 he made clear to the Israelis that a return of the old city to Arab sovereignty would have to be part of a comprehensive Middle East settlement.

The issue topped the arduous talks which led to the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty, the first to be signed between the Jewish State and an Arab neighbour. The Jerusalem question has been among the main stumbling blocks on the road towards agreement on selfrule for the 1.2 million Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Before talks were broken off, after having made no tangible progress, Egypt insisted that the 120,000 Arabs in Jerusalem should come under any future Palestinian autonomous council, a demand repeatedly rejected by the Israelis.

On Sunday Mr Sadat told an Israeli parliamentary delegation that Jerusalem could remain geographically united with divided sovereignty.

“The problem of Jerusalem can be solved while keeping the city united under a joint Israel-Arab council, with unified services and utilities under dual supervision," he said.

In Beirut yesterday a new wave of shelling which hit

east and west Beirut killed 18 people and wounded 270, press reports said.

The attacks occurred along a line from Maameltein, near the Christian port of Jounieh, 20km north to Ouzai. and Aramoun, skm south of the capital.

Among the targets were beaches where hundreds of bathers were taking advantage of a fine day, resulting in widespread panic.