On 14 December the Cairo conference opened (see document below); in a surprise move, Prime Minister Begin flew to the United States to present to President Carter Israel's peace plan. On that day, standing for the Prime Minister, Defence Minister Weizman was guest of the editors of the Israeli press. Answering questions about the sudden trip of the Prime Minister, Mr. Weizman said that Mr. Begin wanted to "compare notes" with President Carter on the peacemaking process. Excerpts:
Q. What is your view on a possible American presence in the Middle East?
A. The government of Israel will make every effort to attain a peace settlement, and we shall not rule out any methods that can contribute to a settlement. We shall examine them on their merits. It is my view that the more direct the contacts between ourselves and the Egyptians, the better it will be for our life together. Who would have believed six weeks ago that three Israelis would be sitting in Cairo, talking with three Egyptians at Mena House - without any U.N. personnel between them, though they are in the neighbourhood. But in the past few days we have attained, as a result of President Sadat's visit, something that all circles in Israel strove for throughout the years: Direct contact between ourselves and them. Having said that: We do not rule out - we are ready to examine any possibility and any method which will contribute to the attainment of peace between us.
Q. Is Mr. Begin going to present proposals only as regards a settlement with Egypt, or with other countries as well?
A. The Prime Minister is taking to President Carter thoughts on various basic salient issues concerning an overall settlement in the Middle East.
Q. During the Vance visit, did you sense any return to the step-by-step idea, any retreat from the notion of an overall settlement?
A. There is no clear-cut answer to this question. I would venture to say that in my estimation, Secretary of State Vance came here against the background of the storm raised by Sadat. In other words: Had there been no Sadat visit, Vance would not have come. We were happy that he did. He came, among other reasons, more to help in technical matters and to hear views than to inform us of the position of the United States.
Q. What was the purpose of the Prime Minister's visit to Washington?
A. The Prime Minister left for Washington to compare notes with the President about fruitful ideas that he has about the solution of some problems in the complex in the Middle East - not only the relationship with Egypt and the future peace treaty. He has ideas which he is going to present and see what the reactions of the President of the United States will be.
Q. Do you believe that President Sadat is capable of making an agreement with Israel?
A. I have no doubt that it is possible to reach a settlement with him (Sadat). Whether you call it a contractual peace treaty with all the trimmings, I am not prepared to say at the moment, but I believe that both he and we have gone so far - and it is a good thing that we have gone so far... that it's difficult to believe that we could go back to the situation that existed before Sadat's visit.
Q. Is King Hussein able to detach himself from Syria and reach an agreement with us?
A. As for King Hussein, I don't want to hand out marks... in my opinion Hussein made three mistakes: That he attacked us in 1967. That he didn't attack us in '73, and that he didn't join Sadat when Sadat came to Jerusalem. I don't know whether it was a good thing from the Israel point of view - from the Jordanian point of view I expected him to come to Jerusalem and worship together with him in the Mosque on that morning... In his place I would make an effort to join the general effort that is being made at this moment in Mena House... If I may make a recommendation to him from here, from the King David to King Hussein, let him come and join in.
Q. Is there any danger of hostilities breaking out with Syria?
A. In the political situation now between us and Syria I don't see any impending attack by Israel on Syria - we would have to be almost politically insane... To attack Syria, and if Assad says so, then I think that he is either misjudging the situation or purposely saying this for some benefit of his own political problem. There is a possibility that there might be (some trouble) from South Lebanon, presently the situation in South Lebanon is favourable.
Q. Do you see any prospect of an agreement with Egypt before Geneva?
A. I believe that it may be possible to arrive at certain understandings with the Egyptians, but the final, definite agreement will not be reached before Geneva... there will be breakthroughs, exchanges of views, ideas, but at the moment it appears that Geneva will take place.
Q. Was Mr. Begin's trip to the U.S. a demonstrative step towards the U.S.?
A. Mr. Begin's trip to Washington is not a demonstration. It is a real working trip. ... He went with specific proposals -I am not authorized to tell you at this moment what are the things he will put to the President of the United States, but it is certainly not a demonstrative act towards the United States. It is part of a great, complex and interesting whole. Anyone who thinks that the United States has no part in it and should not have a part in it, in my opinion is mistaken. The United States has something to say, and it should say it. Sometimes, undoubtedly, it can hinder, but sometimes it can give a great deal of help... I can tell you that yesterday we had a long meeting, from half-past-eight in the morning till two in the afternoon, in preparation for the Prime Minister's trip... this is a trip for a definite job, a specific task, with specific ideas, which I hope will have positive and fruitful results.