1971 Year in Review

Announcer: In the Middle East, the conflict between the Jews and the Arabs came no closer to solution. Jerry Laukmanreports from Beirut.

Jerry Laukman: “War threat grows; this was the most persistent headline in Middle East newspapers throughout 1971, and as the year drew to its close, it looked like the threat might be realized.

“President Sadat of Egypt announced he had despaired of a peaceful solution. He had broken off contacts with the United States. He had decided to go to war with Israel. A far cry from the competitive optimism with which the year began.

“Sadat began talking of 1971 as the year of decision. In speech after speech, he said a decision must be made for war or peace. Finally he announced it-- war. But not apparently war immediately. Egypt launched a diplomatic offensive, aimed at securing a General Assembly resolution backing the …memorandum. This in effect meant a worldwide demand for Israel to withdraw. If it agreed, then victory was Egypt's. If it refused, then Sadat was in a position of much moral credit from which to launch his battle, if that is, Israel did not strike first.”

Announcer: Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir.

Golda Meir: “Israel will not, cannot, be scared, bullied into a position which it will not accept because it believes that it is not good for its security. This is our position, and if Sadat would think likewise, maybe we would have had peace by this time.”