Word: beginnings
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...moderate U.S. resolution that would speak of the Palestinians' human rights but not their right to an independent state. They sent Special Envoy Robert Strauss flying off to the Middle East, under strict, sealed instructions signed by Carter, to explain this plan to Israel's Premier Menachem Begin and Egypt's President Anwar Sadat. Finding them both strongly opposed, Strauss then flew home and convinced Vance and Brzezinski that the U.S. should abandon the resolution...
With the blacks' interest in the Arab-Israeli conflict heightened and the sympathies of their leaders beginning to tilt toward the Palestinians, a potentially powerful political force could emerge as a new domestic factor in U.S. policymaking for the Middle East. In the weeks ahead, however, Washington's course seems reasonably clear. The Administration is likely to await the outcome of the three-day summit between Begin and Sadat, scheduled to begin in Haifa the first week in September. A few days later Bob Strauss will return to the region to try to quicken the pace...
Carter's chief reason for appointing Strauss was to have a high-level official primarily responsible for dealing with Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat. In the wake of the Camp David summit, the two leaders were constantly turning to Carter for counsel. The President had made up his mind that Vance was not strong enough to control the volatile peace negotiations, and he was not satisfied that Brzezinski was able to make decisions on his own. "Cy can't hold Begin and Sadat away from me," Carter complained to his closest White House confidants, "and Zbig is into...
Strauss showed from the start that he would tolerate no mistreatment from State. In the beginning officials snubbed him, neglected to invite him to key meetings and several times actually tried to alter his outgoing cables to Begin and Sadat. A couple of months ago, the Texan was not included in a meeting with Egyptian Vice President Husny Mubarak. This infuriated the short-fused Strauss. He called one of Vance's deputies and blasted State, saying the next time he would take the issue right to Carter. "Strauss is in business for himself," said a top State Department official...
Strauss slowly consolidated his power. He started receiving scores of calls from Jewish leaders who used to deal directly with State. Begin and Sadat were in direct touch with him. Strauss thought things were going fine when he got into his plane for the trip to Egypt and Jerusalem...