Following the weekly cabinet meeting, Mr. Begin made a statement in which he said that Israel had acceded to an American request to allow more time to Ambassador Habib to resolve the crisis through diplomacy. Israel felt that all diplomatic means should be exhausted in Lebanon. No time limit was attached to the Israeli position. Mr. Begin stated: "There was no time limit ... whatsoever to enable to continue with the diplomatic means, because we don't want a war, we want a peaceful solution, and the question of how to restore the status quo ante, and on this the U.S. and Israel are in full agreement." Text:
"On Friday, I held a talk with Mr. Habib, who arrived from Damascus, and he gave me a detailed report about his talks with President Assad and before them of his talks with President Sarkis in Beirut. Then Mr. Habib told me that he was instructed by the Secretary of State to go to Saudi Arabia, and he asked me to give him some more time for the diplomatic moves in order to solve the problem, or what both he and I call the restoration of the status quo ante in Lebanon. I was not empowered to tell him anything about his request because I knew that the session of the cabinet was going to take place on Sunday. Therefore, after having heard it, I told Mr. Habib that I will recommend to the cabinet on Sunday that the cabinet should approve his request: Namely, to give him more time, so that he can use the diplomatic moves. Therefore, today I had to bring that declaration by me to Mr. Habib to the cabinet for approval. And I am glad to tell you that the cabinet unanimously approved what I said to Mr. Habib on Friday.
Today in the morning I got a message from Mr. Habib, through the good offices of the American ambassador, to the effect that probably he will spend an additional day, in other words Sunday, in Saudi Arabia, and probably he will go to Damascus tomorrow. And then probably he will come here on Monday night, or at the latest Tuesday morning. It's all probable. I don't know how the plans will develop of Mr. Habib's journeys. He may leave Saudi Arabia and go back to the United States. He still may visit Damascus and then come to Jerusalem to see me and then go to the United States. I just don't know how it will develop. And therefore I stress the word probably. And this is for the time being the message: namely, that Philip Habib will visit tomorrow Damascus and then either tomorrow night or at the latest on Tuesday morning, he will be in Jerusalem, and as always he will be received with great cordiality and respect, as one of the most able diplomats, with a brilliant mind."
In respect to journalists' questions, Mr. Begin said that there was "No time limit ... whatsoever ... to enable to continue with the diplomatic moves, because we don't want war, we want a peaceful solution. And the question is how to restore the status quo ante, and on this the United States and Israel are in full agreement."