UNITED NATIONS: Israel has formally rejected the United Arab Republic demand that it should withdraw from all Arab territories occupied in the 1967 war, informed sources said here. Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban today [Feb 27] hinted in an Israel Army radio interview that Israel could not withdraw from three occupied Arab areas — Sharm el Sheikh, at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, Jerusalem, and the Syrian Golan Heights.

But in reply to the UAR peace proposals, Israel has agreed to enter into “territorial negotiations”, the sources said.

Israeli ambassador Yosef Tekoah delivered his Government’s response last night [Feb 26] to the UN envoy Dr. Gunnar Jarring. Mr Tekoah said after his 75-minute meeting with Dr. Jarring that he had transmitted “the Israeli position which makes it possible for Israel and the UAR to get down now to working out in detail the provisions of the peace agreement. ...” He did not elaborate on his last sentence. “In submitting their own proposals nearly two weeks ago, the UAR indicated it had gone about as far as was feasible in moving towards agreement.” … “It is now up to Egypt”.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2021