FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks- 1978 September

ROVED FOR RELEASE CIA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS DIVISION A XR1 ,
V. 5 Sep 78 N 7 ISRAEL
A spokesman for the teachers union, Mordekhay Batzali, last night rejected Premier Begin's
appeal to the teachers to withdraw their strike today. He recalled that the cabinet
ministers themselves were the first to break the 15 percent wage rise agreement. 9
' EGIN MAES AIRPORT STATEENT ON DEPARTURE
NC030611Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 0507 GMT 3 Sep 78 NC
[From the Morning Newsreel: Report from Ben-Gurion Airport on the departure of the
Israeli delegation for the United States by correspondent Shalom Qital--live]
[Text] Good morning from Ben-Gurion Airport. Prime Minister Menahem Begin is about to
say a few words. I say "a few words" because he will not hold a special press conference
but will only make a few statements. Those who will accompany Mr Begin are all here:
the ministers, top-level officials, Knesset members, friends and relatives. The press
conference is about to start.
[Unidentified speaker] The prime minister will first make an announcement in Hebrew
and then in English.
[Begin] Good morning ladies and gentlemen; good morning to you, citizens of Israel:
The delegation--the foreign minister, the defense minister and myself, our friends and
advisers--will leave for the United States and for Camp David on a mission of peace. No
other people in the world desire peace more than we do--or even as much as we do. Among
our people, no one desires peace more than the current government. Because of this, we
will exert every human effort possible so that the Camp David conference will result in
an agreement that will enable us to hold negotiations and sign a peace treaty. We, the
Israelis, are particularly interested in the success of the tripartite conference. We are
an integral part of the free world, which is under continuous attack from the enemies of
- human freedom. Our people must defend themselves. Throughout the years, they have shrunk
considerably in numbers and all of those who belong to our people now intend to stand
together for the sake of Israel and for the sake of peace.
For the sake of the international prestige of the President of the United States--which
is naturally the defender of the free world--we hope and are interested in seeing this
conference, in which the representatives of the United States, Egypt and Israel are
participating, end in success.
Upon our return from the Camp David conference, we will certainly have many additional
things to tell you. Today, because of the delicate situation and the particular
importance of the issues on the agenda, I beg you to forgive me for making do with this
statement, and for not holding a question-and-answer session.
[Qital] Now that the prime minister is speaking in English, I return you to the studio.