FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks- 1978 September

PPROVE -8 ELEASE CIA HISTORICAL LLECTIONS DIVISI N AR 70-14 V201
This is not enough. We have to provide a fundamental soluti6n to the problem. I know
that if I tell you this, if I give you these figures--and hear the head of a family together
with his children and his wife in a miserable shack in an intolerable housing project--three,
four, up to seven souls in a single room--he is certain to tell himself: What consolation
is this to me if I am told that Shim'on and Retuven already have tolerable housing, while I,
myself? Yes, this contention is justified.
But you have to know that this problem cannot be solved in a day or even in a year.
We have initiated a project to liquidate slums. This is a huge project. To implement
it we need $1.2 billion. At current prices this is more than 20 billion Israeli
pounds, We have to come up with this money. Therefore, I called on the Jewish nation
a year ago. At that time there were still doubts and some opposition. I am able to
tell you tonight that the Jewish nation is enlisting in order to solve your problem. I
shall give you an example: Last Friday night, at the Knesset, I met with 320 Jews
from the United States and Canada. I wish you could have been present at this meeting.
You would have seen Jews, good-hearted Jews. Yes, they are wealthy. But, in order to
contribute to a humane goal, money alone is not enough, the heart is necessary. You
would have seen those Jews, standing in line for half an hour and even more, to volunteer
to raise that money. In one evening they pledged contributions .of $30 million, which is
about 1/2 billion pounds. We shall not make do with this.
In about 6 weeks I will go overseas once more. In December I will again be in the United
States. All my friends will do the same. We all shall go to the end of the world, until
we raise those means, $600 million from the Jewish nation, and the Government of Israel
will give the same sum, With the help of this total we shall completely solve the problem
of slum dwellings for more than 40,000 families in Israel. Well then, I only wish to
make you understand: in 1 year we shall not be able to do this. In a number of years
the problem will be solved for every family living in poverty, which is a shame to us and
a disgrace to every civilized society. This problem will be solved, and you, too, will
be delivered.
In connection with this important social subject it is worthwhile, and also desirable,
to end my words with the sacred sentences in this week's Torah reading, the chapter
Re'eh. This is what our Torah says: "If there is among you a poor man, one of your
brethren', in any of your towns within your land which the Lord your God gives you, you
shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother," and so on.
This is a biblical commandment and we will fulfill it, not only toward the individual
but also toward the public.
A good week and a good month to all of you.
BEGIN'S REMARKS DRAW CRITICISM FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS
Call For Resignation
TA022128Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 2100 GMT 2 Sep 78 TA
[Text] Shelli MK Me'ir Pa'il called on the prime minister immediately to resign because
he does not have a very imaginative plan for the Camp David conference. He expressed his
shock at the prime minister's speech.
Alinement MK Yosi Sarid also said that the -speech was disgraceful and defined it as a
piling up of flowery pathos.