Office of the Historian

120. Memorandum From William B. Quandt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, October 31, 1978

SUBJECT

  • Status Report on Negotiations and West Bank/Gaza Issues

Today’s talks with the Egyptians and Israelis2 resulted in some progress toward agreement on the treaty text and the exchange of letters on West Bank/Gaza negotiations. Both delegations have undertaken to recommend that their governments agree to our compromise proposal on Article VI, on the “Priority of Obligations” (Tab A).3 In addition, we drafted the text of a joint letter that both parties will refer to [Page 410] their governments (Tab B).4 Dayan’s position throughout the talks was to try to get the Secretary to deal directly with Begin on the remaining hard issues.

I had a long talk with Dayan about the West Bank/Gaza issues. My oversimplified conclusion is that there is very little real prospect for getting agreement on the transitional regime for the West Bank/Gaza. For example:

—Dayan claims that Israel did not agree at Camp David to abolish the authority of the military governor. In extremis, Israel would have the right to go back into the West Bank/Gaza.

—While agreeing that the military government would be withdrawn, Israel has not agreed that this would happen immediately after elections. It might take several years to complete the withdrawal of the military government.

—If the issues of future settlements, disposition of public lands, and the right of the Arabs in east Jerusalem to vote in the elections are raised now, the negotiations will drag on for two or three years. These questions should not be addressed now, but should await the election of the self-governing authority, after which they will be resolved in a practical manner.

—Israel plans to establish about 18–20 new settlements in the Jordan Valley in the next five years. Therefore, the self-governing authority cannot dispose of all the public domain lands. Israel may need to keep 20% or so for itself.

My prediction is that the Egyptian-Israel treaty negotiations will be concluded within ten days, depending largely on how Begin reacts. On the basis of my understanding of the Israeli position, I doubt if we will ever get very far with the West Bank/Gaza negotiations.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 55, Middle East: Peace Talks Between Egypt and Israel, 10/19–31/78. Secret. Sent for information. At the top of the memorandum, Carter initialed “C,” indicating that he saw the document.↩
  2. No memoranda of conversation of the October 31 meetings with the Israeli and Egyptian delegations have been found.↩
  3. The tab was not found attached.↩
  4. The tab was not found attached.↩