Word: gaza
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...Israeli commitment to withdraw was imperative, but that I was not trying to specify how much. I insisted that the interim proposal to let the Palestinians have full autonomy be as forthcoming as possible, with maximum authority for the people who lived on the West Bank and in Gaza. A continuing military occupation and deprivation of basic citizenship rights among the Arabs was unacceptable to the world and contrary to the principles that had always been such an integral part of Jewish beliefs. Begin shifted back to Sadat's proposal and began to analyze it again in minute detail...
...territory were involved, that he was offering to return more than 90% of it to Egypt now, and merely postponing the sovereignty question on the other 2,340 sq. mi.?a figure that, I assumed at the time, was the area of the West Bank and Gaza...
Begin conceded that Egypt was not claiming sovereignty over Gaza and added that he was not now preparing to pursue his own claims of sovereignty over the occupied land in the West Bank and Gaza. This concession did not satisfy Sadat. He maintained that neither Israel nor Jordan could claim sovereignty over the West Bank; self-determination by its residents was the only measure of sovereignty and would lead ultimately to a Palestinian state. In his opinion, such a state should not be independent or have military forces, but should be linked to Israel or Jordan. His preference was Jordan...
...been quite forthcoming, compared to the leaders of Israel who preceded him. His present control over the Sinai was derived from wars that Israel did not start. That is Begin's perspective. On the settlements, Begin sincerely wants them to continue. One of his goals is to isolate Gaza from the Sinai, with the settlements as a buffer. Since you have now promised not to let major military forces go beyond the Sinai passes to threaten Israel, there is no longer a legitimate reason for him to maintain the settlements. We do not agree with him and he knows...
...then gave another half-hour explanation of why it was imperative that the Sinai settlements be retained, pointing out that there were 400,000 people in Gaza who were highly susceptible to subversion and might prove a threat to Israel. He stated emphatically, "I will never personally recommend that the settlements in the Sinai be dismantled!" He added, "Please, Mr. President, do not make this a U.S. demand...