ISRAELI PAPER CITES FORD'S REMARKS ON GOLAN HEIGHTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-158-2-37-4
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: July 12, 2010
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: June 15, 1975
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/12: LOC-HAK-158-2-37-4
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ISRAELI PAPER CITES FORD' s REMARKS OBI GOLAN HEIGHTS
TA 161330 TEL AVIV HA'AREZ IN HEBREW 15 JUN 75 P 1 TA
(BY DAN MARGALIT, HA'AREZ CORRESPONDENT)
(EXCERPT) SOME EMBARASSMENT AROSE AT THE WORKING DINNER
WHICH PRESIDENT FORD AND PRIME. MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN GAVE AT
THE WHITE HOUSE ON WEDNESDAY, WHEN THOSE PRESENT STARTED TO TALK
ABOUT THE GOLAN HEIGHTS. CONGRESSMAN WAYNE HAYS SAID THAT
"WERE I AN ISRAELI I WOULD DEMAND THAT ANY PRIME MINISTER WHO
GAVE UP THE GOLAN HEIGHTS BE TRIED BEFORE A CRIMINAL COURT."
AT THIS POINT PRESIDENT FORD INTERVENED WITH THE REMARK THAT NO ONE
EXPECTED ISRAEL TO ABANDON THE GOLAN HEIGHTS. A SHORT SILENCE
PREVAILED, WHILE FORD AND RABIN LOOKED AT DR. KISSINGER TO SEE
HIS REACTION. IT SEEMED TO MANY THAT HE WAS EMBARASSED.
AFTERWARDS AN EFFORT WAS MADE TO PREVENT THIS DISLOG FROM
LEAKING OUT. UNOFFICIAL U. S. SOURCES TOLD A HA'AREZ CORRESPONDENT
AN FRIDAY THAT EVEN IF FORD HAD SAID THE THINGS ATTRIBUTED TO HIM,
IT DOES NOT RULE OUT U. S. SUPPORT OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR A FURTHER
INTERIM SETTLEMENT WITH SYRIA, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A PARTIAL
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.
OBSERVERS I N WASHINGTON EXPRESSED THEIR OPINION THAT FORD'S
REMARK, WHICH WAS KEPT A SECRET, APPARENTLY REFLECTS THE
TRUE OPINION OF THE PRESIDENT AS REGARDS THE FUTURE OF THE GOLAN
HEIGHTS.
AND MORE ON THE GOLAN: IN RABIN'S TALKS IN WASHINGTON,
AMERICANS DID NOT LINK AN ADDITIONAL AGREEMENT WITH EGYPT WITH
A SETTLEMENT ON THE GOLAN HEIGHTS. OBSERVERS THINK THAT THE LINK
BETWEEN THE TWO SUBJECT IS UNAVOIDABLE, BUT THAT WASHINGTON HAS
NOT LINKED THEM BECAUSE IT DID NOT WANT TO MAKE THINGS TOO
DIFFICULT FOR RABIN.
ISRAEL'S POSITION IS THAT SINCE SYRIA WILL NOT BE SATISFIED
WITH MORE COSMETIC CHANGES BUT WILL DEMAND A MEANINGFUL ISRAELI
WITHDRAWAL, IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO
REACH AN INTERIM AGREEMENT. ISRAEL, DOES NOT SHUT THE
DOOR TO THIS SORT OF A POSSIBILITY' BUT, NEVERTHELESS THINKS THAT
FROM THE PRACTICAL POINT OF VIEW ONE SHOULD WAIT, IN REGARD TO THE
GOLAN HEIGHTS, FOR NEGOTIATION FOR FINAL PEACE.
16 JUN 1429Z ST/SAJ
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/07/12: LOC-HAK-158-2-37-4