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A visit with . > • * .**m < # /, ■. ’ by Jack Cridbart Jewish journalists in Morocco? Seems an unlikely combination but it happened and for eight hectic days I recently toured the country with II other Jewish newsmen. We were invited by the Moroccan government to explore Morocco and also to visit Jewish communities. There will be more in coming weeks about the trip but one particularly exciting aspect was a meeting with Moroccan Prime Minister Ahmed Osman. We found him to be extremely friendly and very hopeful that the talks in Cairo might be fruitful. But he gave us an inkling of problems to cqme when he chillingly insisted that “the Arab position is that the PLO is the representative of the Palestinians.” Although Morocco has played an important role in moving toward peace in the Middle East, Osman firmly reiterated the standard Arab line that “Begin’s position should be return of the 1967 territories and recognition of a Palestinian state.” He was firm on this point, mentioning more than once that ”a minimum concession from the Israelis would be a return of all territories." He did say, however, that should peace come, Morocco would be willing to fully recognize Israel, including an exchange of ambassadors and "full diplomatic recognition.” This is an important point. Morocco’s Prime Minister since full recognition of Israel, even after a peace treaty, has not always been, acceptable to the Arab countries. Morocco has apparently now joined with Sadat’s new line that Israel doss have a right to exist and that a “normal" relationship is possible. Osman indicated that the Arabs were “waiting for a move from the Israeli side,” which is perhaps the key reason that Sadat and Begin’t recent meeting in Ismailia was not successful. The Prime Minister stressed that the timing of Sadat’s visit was a surprise to the Arab world—even for Morocco, which has been heavily involved injecret negotiations to bring about a rapprochement with Israel. But he stressed that the next move was now up to Begin and that Sadat’s visit was "concession enough on the Arab part.” He also repeated the oft-beard Arab theory that perhaps Israel cannot really afford a true peace. “Some analysts,” he said, “feel that Israel cannot have peace and maintain their present way of life. There is some thought that a state of war hides some interna] difficulties for Israel.” He smiled and puffed reflectively on a long, thin cigar as he said this and, there was the distinct impression that he did not seriously believe the theory. Osman was then asked whether Israelis could now See Prime Minister, page 18. * »* »*-“ yjM ,> J»»' »• »►> Jj»' JrtM* J-*-l Vjfc rac so .an ** ^ ^ '*** ** *'** > >)** JsAuun • -AN<. newspaper frontpages Jewish journalists’ visit. I >> T. cd •H ►T O CM CM in ^ ° O -ri o a> xj n q r t O <D - T< > H f < -P Jn cij r %. s o %■. at -p 4-j -a •h %■ r-t -w •Jl u o The Southern Israelite The Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry Ot«r,Mth Year VOL. LI NO uu Atlanta, Ga., Friday, December 30, 1977 Saudi buyer of NBG wants Jewish business Reaction of Atlanta's Jewish community to the proposed transfer of control of the National Bank of Georgia to the hands of Saudi Arabian entrepreneur Ghaith Pharaon was obviously of some concern to both the present bank management and Pharaon himself. The Saudi Arabian investor made a point this week of attempting to assure the Jewish community that the takeover would not change the policies or the ways of doing business of the bank. A story in the Atlanta Journal quoted Pharaon as saying “We would welcome the Jewish community in this country doing business with us, because it is only by closer understanding and cOmmutfteation that we can solve much of our dlfTHWieetrand- proMsms." — «•» •». «m». • *.. • I i ml uafcjwm Pharaon indicated that he hopes to have contact with prominent Jewish leaden and an exchange of “concerns.” Earlier, NBG President Robert Guyton had expressed concern about the bank's Jewish customers but said, “By and large, the reaction has been favorable.” Pharaon was also quoted by the Atlanta Journal as saying “We are restricted now from doing business with Israel by the Palestinian and boycott problems. But once these are lifted, 1 don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be dealing with Israel.” Saving Torahs in Morocco See story page 4. between Israel and Egypt on the Palestinian question has apparently not been narrowed as a summit, and Anwar Sadat and Premier Menachem Begin pledged here Monday to continue with the peace momentum, there was a feeling of tome let down among observers at the failure to make progress on this funda mental issup. The failure was particularly accentuated when it became clear at the start of the two leaders* joint press conference Monday that they had not been able to formulate a joint statement of intent or declaration of principles as had earlier been hoped and expected. Instead, Sadat read a prepared statement, to which Begin added his verbal concurrence, reporting “progress” on the “question of the withdrawal” (apparently meaning Sinai withdrawal), adding: “But on the Palestinian question, which we consider the core and crux of the conflict, the Egyptian and Israeli delegations discussed the Palestinian problem...The position of Egypt is that on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip a Palestinian state should be established. “The position of Israel is that Palestinian Arabs"—here Sadat paused for some 10 seconds—“of Judee (sic) Samaria and the Gaza Strip should ertjoy self-rule. We have agreed that—because we have differed on this issue—the ijjjue will be discussed in the political committee of the Cairo preparatory conference.” The “political committee," to be beaded by the two foreign ministers, is one of two committees which Sadat and Begin agreed to set up to continue their peace efforts. It will convene early in January in Jerusalem, the two leaders explained, and the United States and United Nations will be invited to participate—as they have participated until now in the Cairo conference itself. Sadat said the “political" and “military" committees would “work in the context of the Cairo conference" and report back on their decisions to the plenary of that conference The military committee, under the two defense ministers, will meet, apparently simultaneously, in Cairo—but here, Sadat explained, only the two sides will participate, not third parties. This seemed to mean that the military committee will confine itself exclusively to the security and territorial issues pertinent to the Sinai. Both leaders took pains to put the best imprint possible on the results of their summit and on the future prospects of the negotiations. “I do not think there is any gap that cannot be bridged," Sadat declared in response to a question on the difference over the West Bank. Begin asserted that the Ismailia summit had been See Peace, page 18.