FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks- 1978 September

PPROVED FOR RELEASE CIA HI ORICAL DIVISION AR 70-14 13N 2013
V. 26 Sep 78 N 1.1.R
From where you are sitting you do not have to ask. Change your chair and then if
you ask, you will be given an answer. The cabinet amused itself--after all, this is
not a debate on inflation, on 3 billion Israeli pounds; here 2 days will not be
enough, Yiga'el--the cabinet amused itself with formulations on sovereignty and, in
my view, it lost the chance for security borders. It lost; the nation of Israel lost;
peace lost. For the Palestinian people--including this time, not only the inhabitants
of the territories, the Palestinian people, as the Israeli Cabinet recognizes them,
including those who were uprooted from the territories since 196 7--a Palestinian
people with the right to return,
The consolation, as it were, that we will be able to purchase land is merely verbal
consolation, because the right to purchase is 'connected with the willingness to sell,
which does not exist. The IDF will remain in the area at certain points but the de-
mand to evacuate it in 5 years--or earlier or later--is certain to come. Ultimately,
the continued presence of the IDF will depend on the members of the committee who
will determine a final settlement for the future of Judaea, Samaria and Gaza. Of
course, in 5 years we will be able to demand sovereignty over the whole of Judaea,
Samaria and Gaza. We will be able to, why not? Who will respond to 'this? Who will
agree to this? Who will support it? Who will demand it? Will you change your mind
tomorrow on what you agreed upon today?
This plan cannot arouse triumphal cries in one's heart, It is this cabinet alone
which is responsible for it. Israel was forced to accept--and it would be wise for
the cabinet to say this explicitly--that the alternative and by this I am replying
to you, Yigatel, was the collapse of the Camp David conference--a collapse which I
opposed, and I am saying this from the podium. This collapse would have brought about
Israelis isolation--our people have limitations--I will not mention them--a collapse
which would have harmed the United States and our relations with it, a collapse which
would have been harmful to As-Sadat, the first Arab leader who came to speak with us
openly about peace. It would have endangered the chance-for peace in this generation
and also, perhaps, in generations to come.
Mr Speaker, honorable Knesset, the opposition has never had a better opportunity to
be an opposition than today. It is not difficult to guess what Menahem Begin would
have said today were he to have stood here in my stead as leader of the opposition.
Ge'ula Kohen did this'in his place, even though not in my place. We have not done
this, because we are a movement that has responsibility toward our people. We have
not made .life easy for ourselves and, when we'saw the size of the danger together
with the size of the chance, we have chosen to. be supporters of peace--the sole
existing possibility for peace...
[Unidentified MK] Support as a result of U.S. pressure.
...and we will not be an opposition out for. easy political gain.
Moreover, in expressing our support for the Camp David agreements .today we are also--
I know--indirectly accepting all of the cabinets previous mistakes, against which
we issued several warnings sufficiently ahead of time. We take upon ourselves also
the burden of difficulties that can be expected in the future--this is not the end
of the road--and we ape doing this, MK Yiga'el Horowitz, without seeking a place next
to the cabinet table. [indistinct interjection]
Democracy does not mean splitting the people but the freedom to represent correct
opinion, and sometimes the correct opinion lies with the opposition; however, the
opposition does not have a majority.
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