Eban Endorses Shultz’s Plan
Israeli statesman Abba Eban gave a ringing, unqualified endorsement to the Mideast peace plans of U.S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz in Newport Beach on Sunday. In a speech to about 1,000 people at Temple Bat Yahm, Eban called Shultz “the best friend Israel ever had.”
Eban, a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, is chairman of the Israeli Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. He said it is necessary for Israel to have an outside mediator such as Shultz to find peace.
Eban also praised Jordan’s King Hussein. Eban said that Hussein could do much to help the peace process but that Israel has not given him any encouragement. Israel “won’t give one grain of sand” to Hussein, he said.
Eban also defended the right of foreign newsmen to cover events in his country, including the controversial clashes between Arabs and Israeli soliders in the West Bank and Gaza areas. Eban said Israel has always focused attention on itself as a country and invited news coverage. Therefore, he said, Israel cannot logically try to hold back news coverage because it does not seem favorable.
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