ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER ALLON GIVES INTERVIEW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-158-1-21-2
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: July 30, 2010
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: May 11, 1975
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/30: LOC-HAK-158-1-21-2
FBIS, 106
ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER ALLON GIVES INTERVIEW
LD 141328 BRUSSELS LE SOIR IN FRENCH \11-12 MAY 7P 3 LD
(U MD, T D MICHEL DUBUISSON BRUSSELS INTERVIEW WITH ISRAELI FOREIGN
MINISTER YXGAL ALLON: "THERE WILL BE RENEWED DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY
IN THE NEAR EAST, MR ALLON TELLS US")
(TEXT) (QUESTION) DOES ISRAEL ATTRIBUTE ANY POLITICAL IMPORTANCE
TO THE AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE EC?
(ANSWER) THE DECISION MADE BY EACH GOVERNMENT OF THE NINE TO
SIGN THE AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL IS POLITICAL, BECAUSE IT EMANATES
FROM POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AGREEMENT
IS ESSENTIALLY ECONOMIC. BUT, OF COURSE, ECONOMY, POLITICS AND 7
STRATEGY ARE ALL CONNECTED TODAY. AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE
NINE ARE PURSUING A BALANCED POLICY IN THE NEAR EAST.
(QUESTION) ISRAEL SOMETIMES GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT IT DOES NOT
WANT A EUROPEAN INITIATIVE IN THE NEAR EAST. WHAT ROLE DO YOU
EXPECT EUROPE TO PLAY?
(ANSWER) EUROPE IS THE MOTHER CONTINENT OF MANY JEWS. MILLIONS 07
THEM HAVE LIVED THERE AND IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT THEY SUFFERED
THEIR GREATEST TRAGEDY THERE.
WE MUST WORK TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF TRAGEDY FROM HAPPENING
EVER AGAIN. EUROPE BORDERS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN, LIKE THE NEAR
EAST, INCLUDING ISRAEL. SOME 50 PERCENT OF ISRAEL'S IMPORTS COME
FROM THE COMMUNITY; 30 PERCENT OF ITS EXPORTS GO TO THE NINE.
THAT IS WHY EUROPE`S WELL-BEING AND SECURITY AND THE INDEPENDENCE
OF THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ARE CLOSELY BOUND UP WITH THE OTHER
MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES, AND AMONG THESE ISRAEL PLAYS A CONSIDERABLE
ROLE.
WE THEREFORE WANT A MORE UNITED, STRONGER, STABLE EUROPE,
LESS SUBJECT TO BLACKMAIL, MORE EUROPEAN. AND THEN IT COULD PLAY
A PART, IF ONLY INDIRECTLY, IN THE STABILITY OF THE NEAR EAST.
WE HAVE NO RESERVATIONS CONCERNING EUROP .
PEACE IS NOT AN INSTANT COFFEE
(QUESTION) LET US PASS ON TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE NEAR EAST
AFTER THE FAILURE--OR THE SUSPENSION-,-OF MR KISSINGER'S LAST MISSION,
IS THERE ANY PROSPECT OF RENEWED DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY?
(ANSWER) THIS SUSPENSION IS IN NO WAY FINAL. I BELIEVE A
NEW INITIATIVE WILL BE TAKEN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SUSPENSION OF
THE TALKS LED BY MR KISSINGER, PRIME MINISTER RABIN AND I
PUBLICLY PROPOSED TO THE UNITED STATES AND EGYPT THAT THE TALKS
SHOULD BE RESUMED, AS THEY WERE INTERRUPTED BEFORE OUR LATEST
PROPOSALS HAD BEEN EXAMINED BY THE EGYPTIANS. FOR MY PART, I
AM EXTREMELY SATISFIED WITH PRESIDENT FORD'S INVITATION TO THE
EGYPTIAN AND ISRAELI LEADERS TO MEET HIM.
AFTER 27 YEARS OF BELLIGERENCY, PREPARING FOR PEACE TAKES
LONGER THAN PREPARING INSTANT COFFEE. WE HAVE SOME HOPE.
NEVERTHELESS, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS IN THE FACE OF THE
ACCUM1.JI.AT ION OF ARMS SUPPLIED BY THE USSR; WE ARE SEEKING PEACE
IF IT I.+ PO"St LE; WF ARE PREPARING, FOR WAR IF IT IS INEVITA`ILE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WANT TO BE VICTORIOUS IN THE EVENT OF A SURPRISE
ATTACK AND TO SEI7F ANY f'NeNr;r nr Pri Ar?C' iJUTPU MAV oocr-rr.Vr *TSELF.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/30: LOC-HAK-158-1-21-2
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BE IMPO No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/30: LOC-HAK-158-1-21-2
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DZLA,R,,ATION OF NONBELLIGERENCY, SINCE IT WOULD MEAN DE"IANDIPIS
THAT THE EGYPTIANS BREAK UP ARAB SOLIDARITY?
(ANSWER) WE HAVE NOT INSISTED ON THIS. WE--AND EGYPT ALSO--HAVE
ACCEPTED A "NONUSE OF FORCE" FORMULA. BUT THE EGYPTIANS
WERE NOT PREPARED TO GUARANTEE THE DURATION OF SUCH AN AGREEMENT.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RELY ON THE SEASONAL RENEWAL OF THE UN EMERGENCY
FORCES' MANDATE. IN ADDITION, THE EGYPTIANS REFUSED TO EASE
THEIR ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON JEWISH CITIZENS IN EUROPE AND THE
UNITED 1 TATES. THEY WANTED TOO MUCH AND WERE OFFERING TOO LITTLE. N
WE DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN EGYPT AND THE REST OF
THE ARAB WORLD, BUT TO NEGOTIATE WITH EACH COUNTRY I N ACCORDANCE
WITH SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS 242 AND 338. WE DECLARE THAT A
SOLUTION WILL BE FOUND FOR THE PALESTINIAN IDENTITY IN A PEACEFUL
CONTEXT, AND CONSTRUCTIVELY. BUT WHY MUST SOLIDARITY SHOW ITSELF
ONLY IN BELLIGERENCY, NOT IN THE SEARCH FOR PEACE?
THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING
(QUESTION) KING HUSAYN RECENTLY STATED THAT HIS COUNTRY,
SYRIA AND EGYPT WANTED TO MAKE PEACE F3UT THAT ISRAEL '.,IOULD HAVE
TO WITHDRAW FROM THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES AND RECOGNIZE THE
PALESTINIANS' NATIONAL RIGHTS.
(ANSWER) DESPITE MY RESPECT FOR HIS MAJESTY, I DO NOT BELIEVE
HE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK FOR THE ARAB WORLD. Mid AS-SADAT,
FOR HIM PART, HAS SAID THAT THE PRESENT GENERATION WOULD EXPERIENCE
ONLY NONBELLIGERENCY AND THAT PEACE WOULD EXIST FOR THE NEXT
GE NERAT ION.
IT IS NOT WITHOUT INTEREST THAT AN ARAB LEADER SHOULD SAY THAT
HE IS PREPARED TO RECOGNIZE THE EXISTENCE OF ISRAEL. BUT THE PROOF
OF THE PUDDING IS IN THE EATING; GOOD INTENTIONS CAN ONLY BE TESTED
AROUND A CONFERENCE TABLE, WITHOUT PRIOR CONDITIONS. EACH PARTY
CAN, IN THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, PROPOSE ANY SOLUTION.
I AM SURE THERE IS NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM BETWEEN THE ARABS AND OURSELVES
WHICH CANNOT BE SOLVED BY NEGOTIATION. BUT WE MUST NEGOTIATE.
(QUESTION) HOWEVER, IS NOT ISRAEL ITSELF FORMULATING PRIOR
CONDITIONS: TO REMAIN AT SHARM ASH-SHAYKH, AT CERTAIN POINTS ON
THE WEST BANK OR ON THE GOLAN?
IN ACCORDANCE WITH RESOLUTION 242, 'rWEr. ALSOISAYKTHATUTHIS MUSTEBE'_.
EXPRESSED IN GEOGRAPHICAL TERMS, BUT AS FOR WHAT THESE LINES
WOULD RE OR WHERE THEY WOULD BE SITUATED, WE MAKE NO PRIOR CONDITIONS.
EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE.
WITH THE EXCEPT ION OF UNIFIED JERUSALEM, WE HAVE NEVER ENFORCED
ISRAELI LAW IN THE ARAB TERRITORIES. NEITHER HAVE WE ADOPTED THE
"NOT AN INCH OF TERRITORY" PRINCIPLE, IT IS THE ARABS WHO ARE
ADOPTING IT. I INSIST THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN THE
NF.roTIATIONS.
14 MAY 1716Z BLM/CAJ
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/30: LOC-HAK-158-1-21-2
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/30: LOC-HAK-158-1-21-2
FBI S 1 10
ONLY ADD 105 (ALLON INTERVIEW)
XXX IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
THE PALESTINIANS: WHEN AND HOW?
(QUESTION) ONE DAY YOU WILL HAVE TO TACKLE THE PALESTINIAN
PROBLEM. YOU REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE THE PLO. SO WITH WHICH PALESTINIAN."
WILL YOU TALK?
(ANSWER) IT IS NOT ONLY IN ITS POLITICAL PROGRAM THAT THE PLO
DENIES ISRAEL THE RIGHT TO EXIST, BUT IN INTERVIEWS YASIR 'ARAFAT
OR ABU IYAD CLEARLY EXPLIAN THAT ONCE A PALESTINIAN STATE
HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED ON THE WEST BANK OF THE JORDAN THEY WILL DEMAND ~/
.
THE CREATION OF WHAT THEY CALL "THE SECULAR ARAB-JEWISH STATE."
AND IF THE JEWS REFUSE? THEY REPLY THAT THEY WILL
CHIEVE IT BY
A
FORCE.
THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE OUR RIGHT TO EXIST AND THEY USE ALL
TERRORIST MEANS TO IMPOSE THEIR POLICY. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY CONTRARY
TO BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.
HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT A PALESTINIAN PEOPLE HAS NEVER
EXISTED IN HISTORY, I ADMIT THAT AS A RESULT OF PARTICULAR HISTORICAL
CONDITIONS WE ARE WITNESSING THE EVOLUTION OF A PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
A LARGE SHARE OF ITS NATIONAL EXPRESSION HAS ALREADY BEEN
REALIZED IN THE MAJOR PART OF PALEST INE--TRANSJORDAN: IT HAS
THE SAME PEOPLE, THE SAME CULTURE, THE SAME RELIGION, THE SAME
HISTORY. THE PROBLEM OF THE WEST BANK COMMUNITY REMAINS. IN
A CONTEXT OF PEACE WITH OUR EASTERN NEIGHBOR, A CONSTRUCTIVE
SOLUTION TO THE PALESTINIAN IDENTITY WILL BE REALIZED.
IN ADDITION, AS ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER, I WILL NEVER ADVISE
MY GOVERNMENT TO SIGN A PEACE TREATY WITHOUT THE INCLUSION OF A
JUST SOLUTION FOR THE IDENTITY OF THE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY.
WE ARE LIVNG WITH PALESTINIANS; WE KNOW THEM BETTER THAN THOSE
WHO CLAIM TO REPRESENT THEM. WHEN THE TIME COMES WE WILL HAVE
TO FIND A WAY FOR THEMALSO TO HAVE THEIR SAY IN THE FUTURE.
HOW? THAT HAS TO BE NEGOTIATED. WHEN? WHEN IT IS TIME TO
NEGOTIATE THE PERMANENT EASTERN BORDERS OF ISRAEL IN A CONTEXT OF
PEACE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SUCH A PROBLEM CONCERNING SUCH AN
IMPORTANT GROUP WILL BE SACRIFICED TO SATISFY A BAND OF GANGSTERS.
I BELIEVE IT IS A MISTAKE TO CONFUSE THE GREAT MAJORITY OF PALESTINIANS
WITH TERRORISM. IT IS UNFAIR. IT IS THE MOST REALISTIC COMMUNITY
IN THE ARAB WORLD AND I BELIEVE THAT COOPERATION--AND NOT JUST
COEXISTENCE--WILL BE ESTABLISHED.
IF BELGIANS AND GERMANS AND-,JEWS A-ND GERMANS CAN COOPERATE
COOPERATION BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND ARABS SHOULD BE EVEN EASIER.
THE REST OF THE WORLD--AND THE DEMOCRATIC WORLD IN PARTICULAR--
SHOULD NOT ENCOURAGE EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM. IT SHOULD DISCOURAGE
IT.
MR GROMYKO'S POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS
(QUESTION) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RECENT PROPOSALS BY MR
GROMYKO TO THE EGYPTIAN AND SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS?
(ANSWER) IT IS NATURAL TO PAY GREAT ATTENTION TO THE SOVIET
FOREIGN MINISTER'S REMARKS TO MR FAHMI AND MR KHADDAM. HIS
STATEMENTS CONTAIN ONE OR TWO POSITIVE POINTS.
FIRST, HE EXPLAINS TO HIS GUESTS A BASIC AXIOM: THE EXISTENCE
OF ISRAEL. WHEN I HEAR THAT ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO EXIST I DO
NOT BECOME PARTICULARLY EXCITED. BUT WHEN THIS IS SAID OFFICIALLY
BY A SOVIET MINISTER TO EGYPTIAN AND SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS,
IT IS IMPORTANT.
THEN THERE IS ANOTHER POSITIVE POINT: WHEN MR GROMYKO SPEAKS
OF THE RESUMPTION OF THE GENEVA PEACE CONFERENCE HE SAYS THAT
IT SHOULD BE PREPARED THOROUGHLY. I AM VERY GLAD TO HEAR MR GROMYKO
SAY THAT.
BY CONTRAST, IT IS AN ERROR ON HIS PART TO WANT TO SET DEFINITIVE
BORDERS IN THE NEAR EAST. IT IS CONTRARY TO THE LETTER AND SPIRIT
OF RESOLUTIONS 242 AND 383-VOTED FOR BY THE USSR--IN WHICH IT IS
CLEARLY STATED THAT THE BORDERS WILL BE NEGOTIATED.
ANOTHER NEGATIVE ELEMENT: THE USSR REFUSES TO RESUME DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL. HOW CAN A COCHAIRMAN OF A PEACE CONFERENCE
BE OF USE IF IT DOES NOT TRY TO BALANCE ITS RELATIONS WITH THE
PARTICIPANTS?
FINALLY, THE GUARANTEES OFFERED BY THE USSR: GUARANTEES IS A
FINE Wflfl, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE. I BELIEVE EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS THAT ALL ISRAEL IS DEMANDING IS TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND
ITSELF ALONE. THE GUARANTEES CAN BE ADDED TO THIS DEMAND BUT THEY
CANNOT `IE A SU!IST IT UT E FOR IT.
(END ALL)
_14 MAY 17 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/30: LOC-HAK-158-1-21-2