Mr. Begin used the live broadcast on the "Today" show to refute reports of a deal in which Syria would remove its missiles in return for a halt of Israeli overflights in Lebanon. He reiterated Israel's insistence on the restoration of the status quo which existed in early April 1981, namely that the Syrians must withdraw the missile batteries deployed after the outbreak of the crisis while the batteries that were in position beforehand may remain in place. Syria will agree not to operate the batteries against Israel air force flights engaged in aerial photography to prevent acts of terror emanating from Lebanese territory. Text:
I would like to correct a statement made on your program today, in the morning, namely that there is a proposal for a trade-off, that the Syrians, in accordance with such an American proposal, will withdraw the missiles, and we shall limit or even stop our overflights in Lebanon. May I tell you, my friend, that there is no trade-off whatsoever... From the first source I can inform you that if such a proposal were made to Mr. Habib would have rejected it. But he didn't make any such proposal and in any case, I speak on behalf of Israel, not on behalf of Mr. Habib. If such a proposal were made to us, we would have rejected it on the spot.
I will explain to the American people why those overflights are to us a matter of life and death and there is no exaggeration. Why? Because in Lebanon now operate 20,000 members of the so-called P.L.O., the terrorists, and they are armed with the best sophisticated Soviet weapons, the so-called Katyusha missiles, grenades, tanks, heavy guns, etc, and they conspire (we do not know what is going on amongst them, if we don't try and see with our own eyes) every day, every night, actually every minute to intrude into our country, and then to take hostages and to kill men, women and children. Now to know what is going on there in order that we can prevent them from carrying out those bloody designs, we have to take photos from the air. Indeed, as a result of that photo-taking, for the last five years (this is the status quo ante) we know almost about everybody and everything in Lebanon concerning the terrorists, and this is the reason why we can go out and attack their bases and cause demoralization amongst them so that they cannot intrude into our country. May I tell you that for the last year, since Misgav Am, where there was a great tragedy, (they killed a little girl in the presence of her father, a girl of four years, smashed her head with the butt of a rifle and then killed the father himself). Since then more than a year has passed and there was no incursion, over more than twelve months. This is because we all the time attack them, almost every day - sometimes twice, sometimes even three times a day, and so they are in disarray and are not capable of attacking us. This is the most realistic and most effective way of preventing our people from getting killed, so how can we give up any overflights?
What I heard was that Mr. Habib brought in not American proposals but Israeli demands. That's not true. I would like to tell you that Mr. Habib brought to Mr. Assad American proposals. However, I would like to add - it is my duty to add for the information of the American people - that on this issue of the restoration of the status quo ante, we have the same stand, a consensus - Israel, and the United States of America - about which we are very happy of course.
I could say that this question is rather insulting, but I will not react. Who can assume that I, a man who since his youth actually consecrated his life to defend the Jewish people, to try to save the Jewish people, to liberate the Jewish people, would mix elections with such a task. I reject it utterly and I wouldn't like to hear such a question again. Only a man of ill will can think about such a possibility. It is my duty as Prime Minister of Israel, democratically elected, first of all to defend my people. And this is what my colleagues and I are doing, and we are going to do in the future. And no insulting questions will deter us from doing our duty. Any questions you may ask, of course, but usually the questions should be pertinent, not impertinent.
Q: Mr. Prime Minister, there has been a great deal said in the last few days, that what Mr. Habib is trying to do is to stabilize this very delicate balance of power that exists among all the various factions in Lebanon, and if he is successful in doing that, then as a by-product, Syria may well see fit to remove the missiles and things could return to the status quo ante. Is that what is happening?
A: Not yet. Mr. Habib is doing his best. His mind is brilliant. I think he is one of the most able diplomats in our time. I am so impressed by him, by his wisdom, by his energy, and by his efforts - physical, moral, intellectual, but he didn't yet achieve results. Status quo ante, I must tell you, is not only removal of the missiles. Status quo ante is composed of three points: 1) The missiles should be removed from Lebanon proper and the addition missiles which were placed on the Syrian-Lebanese border should be removed and there should be a commitment because the status quo ante was that never did Syria use missiles against us, although they are placed on their side of the territory. That they should give us a commitment that they will not use in the future the missiles against our planes. That is the first point. The second point: The Syrians must leave the Sannine Mountain and the third point is that they must relieve Zahleh from their siege. So this is the status quo ante.