Gur Talks About Camp David, Israel's Position in the World

Political and military leaders must "compromise between moral and practical behavior," Motta Gur, former chief of staff of the Israeli Armed Forces, told about 150 people in Emerson 108 yesterday.

Gur, who led the Israeli military until 1967, fielded questions for about 50 minutes yesterday afternoon as a guest of the Center for Jewish Studies.

Entebbe

Israel aims to protect Jews' livelihood throughout the world, Gur said. This concern spurred the raid to free Jews held hostage in Uganda's Entebbe airport in July 1975, he added.

Gur said he is a "strong advocate of an agreement with the Arabs, but it should be done in a slow way so each step can be confirmed."

Gur added, however, that he doubts the readiness of many Arabs to live in peace, "to accept us as a political entity in the Middle East, to acknowledge our right to live as free people in that land."

It is too early for Arabs and Israelis to discuss the final borders in the disputed areas, because most Arabs insist on a return to the 1967 boundaries, which would not be sound under today's "conditions," Gur said.

Full

"Israel is the fulfillment of Zionism. I believe that to be a full Jew and a full Zionist is to live in Israel," he said.

"We were never fighting only our wars. We were fighting for the future and the possibility of Jews to live in Israel--whether they should find themselves there through choice or force," Gur added.