108. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in Israel, Egypt, and Jordan, and the Consulate General in Jerusalem1
272326. Cherokee for Ambassador From Saunders. Subject: Message for Begin From the President: Decision to Thicken Israeli Settlements. Ref: Tel Aviv 15588.2
1. Please deliver3 to Prime Minister Begin as soon as possible the following message to him from the President.
2. Begin text. Dear Mr. Prime Minister:
I was encouraged by your message regarding the action4 which your Cabinet has taken on the draft treaty between Egypt and Israel, but I am deeply concerned by the reported decision that you plan in the coming weeks to “thicken” Israeli settlements in the West Bank. At a time when we are trying to organize the negotiations dealing with the West Bank and Gaza, no step by the Israeli Government could be more [Page 388] damaging. Although I know you have mentioned in our earlier conversations the possibility of some small increases through family reunification, I do not believe that the reported decision is in the spirit of what we have discussed and what we are trying to achieve. I have to tell you with the gravest concern and regret that taking this step at this time will have the most serious consequences for our relationship. Moreover, I believe that it may also jeopardize the conclusion of the peace treaty which we are negotiating.
Given the grave consequences for everything we have worked together to achieve, I must ask that you avoid any move on matters of this kind until they can be addressed in the course of the negotiations to establish the Palestinian self-governing authority for the West Bank and Gaza.
Sincerely, Jimmy Carter
End text.
- Source: Carter Library, Plains File, President’s Personal Foreign Affairs File, Box 2, Israel, 11/77–2/79. Secret; Cherokee; Immediate; Nodis. Sent for information Immediate to the White House. Printed from a copy that indicates the original was received in the White House Situation Room. Drafted by Saunders; cleared by Brzezinski; approved by Vance. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840153–2506)↩
- In telegram 15588 from Tel Aviv, October 25, Lewis conveyed a message from Begin to Vance, through Dayan. The message informed the USG that the Israeli Government had decided to “move ahead promptly” with its plan to permit “‘a couple of hundred’ families” to move into existing settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. It continued: “There are to be no new settlements during this period (i.e. the next couple of months), only expansion of the existing ones.” The telegram pointed out that the Israelis had previously proposed this to Carter at Camp David, but that the United States had persuaded them to “delay” action. Moreover, Dayan stated, “Begin was anxious that the Secretary understand the GOI was not attempting to mislead anyone or disguise what was about to happen. The operation would be undertaken at a slow, steady pace and ‘nothing bombastic’ was planned.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840153–2595)↩
- Lewis reported in telegram 15747 from Tel Aviv, October 26, that Begin’s office had requested that Carter’s message be delivered on the morning of October 27. However, in order that its contents could be discussed with Dayan, a copy of Carter’s message would be delivered to Ciechanover on the evening of October 26. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840153–2597)↩
- On October 25, Dayan telephoned Viets to inform him that the Israeli Cabinet “endorsed in principle” the draft peace treaty, by a vote of 14–2, (a parenthetical addition by the Embassy in Tel Aviv reported Ciechanover’s count of 15–2). Dayan also stated that he and Weizman had been authorized to table several amendments to the treaty, though “he did not consider these to be modifications of a substantial nature.” Moreover, the Israeli Cabinet had provided Dayan and Weizman with instructions to “complete work on the treaty expeditiously ‘unless the Egyptians make any major new changes.’” (Telegram 15580 from Tel Aviv, October 25; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780438–0922)↩