Office of the Historian

221. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State and the Embassy in Egypt1

Tel Aviv, February 27, 1978, 2005Z

2633. Subj: Begin Clarifies Cabinet Decision on Settlements. Ref.: Tel Aviv 2624.2

1. During private meeting with Begin this evening, Feb 27, he explained to me the significance of Sunday’s3 Cabinet decision on settlements. His explanation conformed to that we had previously obtained from Weizman and Tamir (reftel).

2. Decision means:

(A) No rpt no new settlements in Sinai, including not even going ahead with several settlement sites earlier approved by previous government.

(B) No more drilling towers, water tanks, new access roads, bulldozers, etc.

(C) Expansion of arable land and construction of houses in existing settlements will be permitted.

(D) On West Bank, only new settlements will be two remaining to do of three sites within military camps approved by Cabinet January 8. These two will not be established before April. (Implication was that this will be all while active negotiations in progress) (see septel re Shilo situation.)4

3. Begin gave me this in confidence, and did not rpt not want any publicity because of conflicting political pressures within Cabinet. (Obviously a vain hope in light of today’s press). He said that Atherton could explain privately to Sadat that decision amounts to stopping all new settlement work in Sinai. Begin hopes this will be seen by Sadat as [Page 1025] constructive step to improve negotiating atmosphere. But for domestic political reasons here, he cannot publicize it as such.

Lewis
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780090–0234. Confidential; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Sent immediate for information to Jerusalem and the White House.↩
  2. In telegram 2624 from Tel Aviv, February 27, Ambassador Lewis reported on an Israeli cabinet communiqué published on February 26 relating to settlement policy. The communiqué “reaffirmed prior resolutions,” but noted that a private agreement was reached at a February 26 meeting “to freeze new settlement activity in Sinai as long as active negotiations continued.” Additionally, the Cabinet “resolved to implement its January decision to build another two new settlements in army camps on the West Bank.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780089–0846)↩
  3. February 26.↩
  4. Apparently a reference to telegram 2700 from Tel Aviv, February 28. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Archive, P840137–1950)↩