Carter's Palestine policy a facade

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William Safire Carter's Palestine policy a facade PARIS - Observe The Great Decep- neckedness and the PLO included in price of oil to come down; they would tion at work. the imposition of a deal. apply the law of supply and demand Publicly, President Carter ritually The cynics are right. The public and increase their output.

Down would declares he opposes the creation of a position is a facade, to be replaced by Palestinian state. come prices everywhere. But privately, Zbigniew Brzezin- the private position when the time is ripe.

The message is unmistakeable: The notion that the Saudis cannot restrain their fellow producers is a ski's staffers at the White House, Just let us get this silly business of an echoed by Harold Saunders' Arabists at the State Department, assure Arabs election behind us and we will bring triumph of self-delusion.

Ultimately, these deceptions ma- back Andy Young, force the Israelis to • ture and cause some grumbling and Europeans that after the Ameri- hand over the West Bank to the PLO among the double-crossed. can elections - when the president no and-invite the Soviet Union into the Remember the debate a couple of longer has to worry about the reaction years ago about providing F-15 jets to from American supporters of Israel— Mideast for a truly "comprehensive" solution - as we planned all along. the Saudis?

The deal was done upon "self-determination" will be insisted But what about the integrity of pres- the assurances that the planes would upon even if it means the creation of a idential pronouncements, trust in be used for defense and would not be radical state within artillery range of America's word and I'll-never-lie-to- fitted with equipment to double the Tel Aviv. you? range, enabling the Arab world to Publicly, the Carter White House Ah, that applies only to ordinary credibly threaten to rain destruction mildly disapproves of the French- matters.

Just as only soldierly Charles inspired call for diplomatic dealings de Gaulle could withdraw from upon Israel. That assurance was then, say the with Palestinian terrorists pledged to Algeria and only anti-Communist Nix- Saudis now. And the Carter men ask the destruction of Israel. Secretary of on could open China, only trust-me State Edmund S.

Muskie solemnly Carter can get away with an obvious around, to see what sort of uproar a cave-in today would create.

If there is reaffirms our promise not to deal with and colossal deception. too much flak, the deception's denou- the Palestine Liberation Organization Some Americans enjoy being de- ment will be postponed for a while. until it accepts United Nations Resolu- ceived because it absolves them of But the world knows what is in the tion 242 and drops its goal of driving responsibility.

They can later blame works: F-15s that can hit Tel Aviv in the hated Zionists into the sea. the president for carrying out the dou- ble-cross they should have known was exchange for permission to fill Ameri- can storage domes with Saudi oil. But privately, a member of coming.

Will there be an end to the great Brzezinski's staff traveling in Bonn tells all and sundry - on background, For example, some think it is in deception? Will the excuse of being King Hussein's interest to form a fed- of course - just the opposite: That the eration with the West Bank Pales- double-crossed begin to wear thin?

European embrace of the PLO "might One hopeful sign came when China tinians. In reality, he wants no part of even be helpful in U.S. efforts to get a denounced a Ronald Reagan commit- the PLO. He forced them out of Jordan settlement." ment to make more official our ties (The voice is the voice of Muskie but at gunpoint. If they join with East with abandoned Taiwan.

If a candi- Bank Palestinians, they will outnum- the hand is the hand of Brzezinski.)

Anybody who gives any credence to ber his Hashemite supporters and date is willing to irritate the govern- ment of a billion people in order to drive him from his throne. reassure a traditional ally in the Far what the Carter administration says in public about not dealing with the That's why he prefers the PLO state East, perhaps he would be willing to on the West Bank, aimed at conquer- PLO is deceiving himself.

Every ing Israel instead of him. irritate the purveyors of oil to protect an ally in the Mideast. politician in Europe is certain that, if Another self-deception: That the the Carter men are returned to power, Israel will be punished for its stiff- Saudis are the moderates in oil pric- ing. Any time the Saudis want the Mr.

Safire is a nationally syndicated columnist for The New York Times.

Cite this item

"Carter's Palestine policy a facade," The Daily Breeze, 20 June 1980. Covering Palestine archive, CP-1980-014. https://coveringpalestine.org/archive/cp-1980-014