Excerpts from Interview by Eytan Bentsur, Director-General of the Israel Foreign Ministry
to "El-Re'i El-A'am" (Kuwait)
April 25, 1998
The director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Eytan Bentsur, stressed that a number of Lebanese leaders support the Israeli initiative for a conditional withdrawal from southern Lebanon in accordance with Resolution 425 - "which we have announced through certain channels."
During the interview with "El-Re'i El-A'am", Bentsur made it clear: "They believed me because I told them the truth. My purpose is not to take a shot in the dark, neither do I intend to put these leaders in a difficult situation, because they hold high-ranking and sensitive positions." He made it clear: "We have notified a number of European leaders of our position."
He said the Syrian rejection of the initiative stems from the fact that Damascus "is certain the initiative will hurt its presence in Lebanon and that it will constitute a victory for Hizbullah. Similarly, Damascus fears that the initiative will trigger civil war." He went on to say that the proposal "does not mean giving up the idea of renewing negotiations with the Syrians." (...)
Director-general of the Foreign Ministry, Eytan Bentsur, revealed that a number of Lebanese leaders had informed Israel that they support the proposal for a conditional withdrawal from southern Lebanon in accordance with Resolution 425. (...)
The director-general of the Israel Foreign Ministry emphasized that the purpose of the Israeli initiative regarding the agreement to withdraw from southern Lebanon in accordance with Resolution 425 "is first and foremost not to apply pressure on the Lebanese government, [but rather] to mitigate the solution to the problem of southern Lebanon, to attain a secure northern border without imposing anything on any party in the north, to end the bloodshed suffered by both sides, to forge a settlement to resolve the Lebanese crisis, to build mutual trust, and to remove any doubts."
He revealed that a number of Lebanese leaders supported the Israeli initiative, "announcing their support through certain channels", but he refused to reveal the identities of these leaders.
He said: "They believed me because I told them the truth. My purpose is not to take a shot in the dark, neither do I intend to put these leaders in a difficult situation, because they hold high-ranking and sensitive positions." He made it clear: "We have notified a number of European leaders of our position."
He said that the Syrian rejection of the initiative stems from the fact that Damascus "in certain the initiative will hurt its presence in Lebanon and will constitute a victory for Hizbullah. Similarly, Damascus fears that the initiative will trigger civil war." He went on to say that the proposal "does not mean giving up the idea of renewing negotiations with the Syrians." He said that U.N. Secretary Kofi Anan will meet with the American envoy for the peace talks, Dennis Ross, in order to discuss the subject of the initiative with him before Ross's expected tour of the region.
The Syrian Crisis
Regarding the Syrian crisis, Bentsur said: "We oppose the Syrian appeal to resume negotiations from the point at which they were stopped at Wye Plantation and we do not have any proof that Damascus had received commitments from the Rabin Government for a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights to the June 4, 1967 borders." He added: "Our suggestion to the Syrians is to put off negotiations of the more dynamic issues and sub-issues to an appropriate time."
The director-general of the Foreign Office is certain that "serious efforts are being made in order to achieve the progress necessary for the peace process, and we are awaiting the visit of Dennis Ross to the area as well as the London Summit (4-5 May 1998) following the visit. I hope that we will near the formulation of the next stage and the final stage, to which I am sure we are close." (...)
Regarding the steps Israel will take in the event of a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state, he said that "Nothing will be declared regarding the two sides reaching an agreement, and all options are open," stressing that it will soon be possible to reach an agreement during the permanent status talks.
Relations with the Gulf States
Regarding Israeli contacts with Gulf states following Netanyahu's coming to power, he stressed that contacts with these states "were continuing despite the fact that the two sides have no diplomatic relations." Bentsur expressed his hope that normalization [of relations] between Israel and the Arab nations would continue and that "bridges of trust between the two sides would continue to be built..." He emphasized that "Israel is making efforts to establish a network of good neighborly relations with the Palestinians and of cooperation in the region."
He stressed the need the region's peoples have [to perceive] the benefits of peace, its meaning, goals, the need to stress the positive side of the peace process, and the need of the region's people for peace...
Regarding the possibility of bringing the leader of the extreme right-wing Moledet party - Rehavam Ze'evi - into the Netanyahu government and the consequences this step will have on the Israeli government's image and the peace process, Bentsur clarified that "this is a political step and I have been authorized to give you an interpretation of the matter. The Prime Minister must deal with opposition in his coalition as well as with the possibility of a no-confidence vote in the government; if Ze'evi joins the coalition, the government will have a majority in the Knesset. I recommend taking this interpretation into account."
He emphasized that ever since it was formed, the coalition has announced it would adhere to the Oslo Accord.
He expressed his hope of reaching an agreement that would resolve the problem of settlements, among others, through friendly negotiations. "We would like to provide a real peace for the generations to come and to have the spirit of reconciliation and agreement prevail among the peoples of the region."
As for the issue of Jerusalem, its future, and the degree of Israel's willingness to accept a compromise solution on the matter, Bentsur made it clear that "Israel agreed to discuss the Jerusalem question in the permanent status negotiations, and all I recommend is that the Palestinians and the Israelis enter negotiations on the permanent status with open mind and open hearts."
Converging Turkish-Israeli Ties
Regarding the Arabs' concerns regarding the converging Turkish-Israeli ties and its inherent danger for the Arab states, particularly Syria, Bentsur tried to allay these fears saying that "... Israel is bent on strengthening its converging ties and cooperation with Turkey in order to attain stability in the area and that her relations do not threaten the security of the states in the region. When I meet with senior officials in Greece and in Cyprus, I will make a point of this." Bentsur emphasized the excellent relations between Israel and Jordan and voiced pride in the relations. He said he has many friends in Jordan, including Prime Minister Dr. Abed Al-Salaam Al-Majali.
In his office at the Foreign Ministry, Bentsur hung a large portrait of King Hussein given to him by the King of Jordan.
He said that the last meeting between King Hussein and Netanyahu in Aqaba "was an excellent one and that [the peace between Israel and Jordan] has become a symbol of good relations, good neighborly relations in the region."