Shamir Shuns U.S. Deadline on Peace Plan : Won’t Bring Initiative to Cabinet Vote Before His Washington Visit

Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir of Israel on Sunday rejected a deadline requested by Secretary of State George P. Shultz for responding to the latest U.S. plan for Middle East peace talks, arguing that he needs more time to “clarify” some points in the proposal.

Shamir’s action is likely to draw a sharp reaction in Washington, where the Israeli prime minister is scheduled to make an official visit next week.

The Israeli prime minister is already under what Israel Radio on Sunday termed “unprecedented” criticism in Washington after 30 U.S. senators, including several long considered to be among Jerusalem’s strongest supporters, described Shamir and his rightist Likud Bloc in Parliament and in the Cabinet as stumbling blocks to peace. (Story on Page 5.)

3 More Fatalities

The prime minister’s rejection of the American deadline, which coincided with reports of three more Palestinian fatalities in the 3-month-old uprising in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, came during Sunday’s regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet.

It also came after ministers of the centrist Labor Alignment faction in the national unity Cabinet had argued that the government here must reach a firm decision on Shultz’s peace initiative before the prime minister makes his scheduled Washington visit.

Shultz, who delivered a formal U.S. proposal to Jordan’s King Hussein last Thursday and to leaders of Israel, Syria and Egypt before leaving the region Friday, had asked for replies within 10 days.

Speaking to reporters upon winding up his 9-day Middle East peace shuttle, Shultz had warned that any delay could cost the world its best chance in a decade for a settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Cornerstone of Plan

Shamir and other members of the Likud Bloc in the coalition government have been cool to the American plan from the beginning. Likud rejects the principle of trading occupied land for peace with Israel’s Arab neighbors, a principle that is considered the cornerstone of the American peace proposal.

Shamir confirmed in remarks to the executive committee of the small National Religious Party on Sunday that he intends to bring the Shultz initiative to a critical Cabinet vote only after he returns from his trip to the United States.

The prime minister is scheduled to leave for Washington next Sunday night and to return to Israel on March 22.

Shultz, who was already working on what many observers considered an impossibly tight negotiating deadline, had called for responses by March 14 so that an international Mideast peace conference could be convened as early as possible during the first half of April.

Shamir’s stance would apparently destroy most of what little chance there might still be to meet that target.

Labor Alignment ministers vowed Sunday to keep pressing for a Cabinet vote on the Shultz initiative before Shamir’s departure, even though they do not appear to have enough support to force a decision.

“It is unthinkable that the prime minister will go to Washington without bringing to it the (Israeli) government’s position,” said Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin, a member of Labor. “And the government’s decision can only be obtained by debate and decision.”

‘No Need to Continue’

“If this government cannot decide on a very crucial issue, then there is no need to continue to sit together,” added another Labor member, Energy Minister Moshe Shahal. “I think that we should have elections very early, during the next four to six weeks.”

The head of the Labor Alignment, Shimon Peres, who sits in the Cabinet as foreign minister and alternate prime minister, has also said that if there is no clear decision on the Shultz plan before Shamir leaves next week, elections should be advanced from their currently scheduled date of Nov. 1.

However, Likud’s Labor Minister Moshe Katsav said Sunday that “in the Cabinet, most of the members support the position of the prime minister and not that of minister Peres.”

The issue is on the agenda of a scheduled Wednesday meeting of the so-called Inner Cabinet of 10 senior government ministers. However, the Inner Cabinet is evenly divided between Likud and Labor, and unless one side breaks ranks, any vote would be a standoff.

Shultz Plan Not ‘Sacred’

Shamir told National Religious Party leaders that “the Shultz plan is neither an ultimatum nor is it sacred. It can still be changed and debated. We don’t have to accept things, even from friends, which go against Israel’s interests and endanger its future.”

Avi Pazner, spokesman for Shamir, confirmed Sunday that the prime minister intends to bring his own proposals to Washington with him in hopes of persuading Shultz and President Reagan to modify the U.S. plan.

Shultz said as he began his peace shuttle that the U.S. plan is so carefully balanced and interlocked to appeal to all sides in the volatile conflict that it was being offered on a virtual take-it-or-leave-it basis.

Meanwhile, the latest Palestinian deaths underlined the risks of the status quo in the occupied territories.

2 More Youths Slain

Palestinian and hospital sources confirmed that two youths were shot to death by Israeli troops during West Bank demonstrations Sunday, while a third man, from Gaza, died of wounds received in a clash with the army last Friday.

The latest fatalities brought to 83 the number of Palestinian victims since the unrest began Dec. 9. The great majority were killed by army gunfire, which according to official figures has also claimed more than 650 wounded. Hundreds of others have suffered broken limbs and other injuries in beatings by troops.

About 150 soldiers and 90 Israeli civilians have been injured during the protests, mostly by rocks. No Israelis have been killed in the unrest.

Fired on Running Men

The army confirmed that during disturbances at the Askar refugee camp in Nablus on Sunday morning, troops heard gunfire and then saw two men running away. They opened fire, hitting one of the two in the forehead. The man, who subsequently died in the hospital, was identified by Palestinian sources as Khaled Al Ardah, 18.

An army spokeswoman said it was unclear whether Palestinians had opened fire. Soldiers at the scene did not see any firearms, she added. There has been only one previous incident during three months of violence in the occupied territories where the Palestinians reportedly used firearms. That was during an attack on Israeli security police in the Gaza Strip, in which no one was hurt.

Troops also opened fire during violent disturbances in Mazraa al Sharqiya, north of Ramallah, killing Ayman Salim Ajak, 18, and wounding a second Palestinian.

At least three more Palestinians were wounded by army gunfire during West Bank protests Sunday.

Palestinian sources identified the Gaza Strip man who died of his wounds as Mohammed Saafim, 27, from the Bureij refugee camp.