THE MONTH IN REVIEW

A Current History chronology covering the most important events of November, 1977, to provide a day-by-day summary of world affairs.

INTERNATIONAL Nov. 25 —Syrian Minister of Information Ahmed Iskandar charges that Egyptian President Sadat's trip to International Labor Organization (ILO) has damaged the chances for a Geneva parley by dividing Nov. 1 —U.S. President Jimmy Carter withdraws the U.S. the Arab world although he says Syria is not prepared from membership in the International Labor Organiza­ to join a "rejectionist" group. tion (ILO). Officials in Amman, Jordan, report that Jordanian King Hussein is maintaining a neutral attitude toward International Terrorism Sadat's trip. (See also , West) Nov. 26 — Egyptian President Sadat invites all parties in the Nov. 2—Dutch millionaire Maurits Caransa is freed by Middle East conflict including Israel, the United States his kidnappers upon payment of a $4 million ransom; and the Soviet Union to send representatives to Cairo for his abductors are apparently not connected with any talks preliminary to a Geneva conference. terrorist organization. Syrian Foreign Minister Abdel Halim Khaddam says Syria "will not go to Geneva and we all are going to a Middle East refusal summit in Tripoli on Thursday." (See also/nf/, U.N.) Nov. 27—'s Acting Foreign Minister Butros Ghali Nov. 15—Via U.S. diplomats in and Cairo, issues official invitations to interested parties to meet in Israeli Prime Minister Begin transmits a formal invita­ Cairo in preliminary meetings to prepare for a Geneva tion to Egyptian President Sadat to visit Israel and conference. address the . According to spokesman Mahmoud Labadi, the PLO Nov. 16—Iraq, Libya and the Popular Front for the will not take part in the Cairo talks, but instead will go Liberation of Palestine condemn Sadat's projected trip to Tripoli where the Arab rejectionists will be meeting. to Israel. President Sadat flies to Syria to confer with Nov. 28 —Israeli Prime Minister Begin tells the Knesset Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. that Eliahu Ben-Elissar and Meir Rosenne will go to Nov. 17 —Egyptian President Sadat formally accepts the Cairo to take part in informal talks called by Egyptian invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin to President . make a 36-hour visit to Israel. President Assad of Syria says that Sadat's efforts at Nov. 18 — 60 Egyptian officials arrive in Israel to aid in negotiating peace are a "new obstacle to peace and preparations for Sadat's arrival. [have] lessened the prospects of a Geneva conference." Tunisia, Morocco and the indicate their ap­ A Jordanian government spokesman says that proval of Sadat's visit. Jordan's representative can attend a Cairo meeting Nov. 19 —Sadat arrives in Jerusalem. He is the first Arab "provided all parties to the Middle East conflict also leader to visit Israel since her founding and is met by attend." Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin and Israeli Nov. 29 —The U.S. formally accepts Sadat's invitation to President Ephraim Katzir. attend a conference in Cairo on the Middle East. Nov. 20—Sadat addresses the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem; Nov. 30—An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman rejects among other things he tells the that "If you want U.N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim's proposal of to live with us in this part of the world, in sincerity I tell November 29 that preparatory talks be held on U.N. you we welcome you among us with all security and "neutral ground" before the Geneva conference. safety." Sadat also emphasizes that the expect the After talks in Moscow between Soviet President return of all Israeli-occupied territory. Leonid I. Brezhnev and Syrian Foreign Minister Khad­ In his reply to Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Begin dam a communique is issued saying that the Soviet ignores the question of the Palestinians but says that all Union will support Middle East talks at Geneva but will questions and problems are negotiable. not take part in the Cairo peace talks. Egyptian President Sadat returns to Cairo to an enthusiastic welcome. United Nations In a joint communique, Sadat and Begin pledge "no (See also Middle East) more war" and agree to talk further. Nov. 22—In an interview in Jerusalem, Israeli Deputy Nov. 3 —By consensus, the General Assembly adopts a Prime Minister Yigael Yadin says that Israel is now resolution condemning airplane hijacking and asking "convinced" that Egypt really wants peace. all countries to increase security measures and agree to Syrian President Assad meets with Palestine Libera­ prosecute or extradite hijackers. tion Organization (PLO) leaders in Damascus to con­ Nov. 4—By a unanimous vote, the 15 members of the sider reprisals against Egypt for President Sadat's Security Council approve a resolution embargoing mili­ "capitulation" to Israel. tary supplies for because of South Africa's Nov. 24-The Egyptian Arab Socialist Union, the ruling racial policies. party, invites Palestinian leaders from both Israel and the Nov. 25 —The General Assembly votes 102 to 4, with 29 Israeli-occupied West Bank of the Jordan to Cairo to abstentions, to condemn the Israeli occupation of Arab discuss the results of President Sadat's trip to Israel. territories held since the 1967 war. 43 Current History FOUNDED IN 1914 Coming Next Month JANUARY, 1978 VOLUME 74 NUMBER 433 LATIN AMERICA, 1978

Editor: How have the policies of the new administration of CAROL L. THOMPSON President Jimmy Carter affected the nations of Latin Assistant Editors: America? In our February, 1978, issue, seven special­ MARY M. ANDERBERG ists evaluate recent developments in the nations south JOAN B. ANTELL of our border. Articles will deal with: VIRGINIA C. KNIGHT • Contributing Editors: United States Policy in Latin America ROSS N. BERK.ES by CARLOS ASTIZ, State University of New York at Albany University of Southern California RICHARD BUTWELL State University of New York The Panama Canal O. EDMUND CLUBB by E. BRADFORD BURNS, University of California U.S. Foreign Service Officer (retired) at Los Angeles HANS W. GATZKE Yale University MARSHALL I. GOLDMAN Wellesley College Cuba NORMAN A. GRAEBNER by ARCHIBALD RITTER, Carleton University, Ottawa University of Virginia OSCAR HANDLIN STEPHEN D. KERTESZ by DAVID ROCK, Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Notre Dame University of London RICHARD H. LEACH Duke University NORMAN D. PALMER University of Pennsylvania by ROBIN ANDERSON, Arkansas State University JOHN P. ROCHE Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy A. L. ROWSE All Souls College, Oxford Chile ALVIN Z. RUBINSTEIN by SALVATORE BIZZARRO, University of Colorado University of Pennsylvania FREDERICK L. SCHUMAN Portland State University. Emeritus Jamaica RICHARD VAN ALSTYNE by K. NYAMAYARO MUFUKA, Lander College University of the Pacific COLSTON E. WARNE Amherst College, Emeritus ARTHUR P. WHITAKER University of Pennsylvania, Emeritus In This Issue The articles in this issue provide valuable back­ President and Publisher: ground information on the nations of the Middle East DANIEL G. REDMOND, JR. and the conflicting policies of the Great Powers in Vice President: that area. The Egyptian-Israeli detente took place ELBERT P. THOMPSON after these manuscripts were first prepared, and the editors are grateful to all the contributors for their Published monthly (combined issues help in updating their material as plans for a Cairo May/June and July/August) by Current History, Inc., 4225 Main conference go forward. Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19127. Second class postage paid at Phila.. Pa., and additional mailing offices. Indexed in The Reader's Guide to $1.75 a copy • $14.50 a year Periodical Literature. Individual copies may be secured by writing to $15.50 a year • Foreign $16.00 a year the publication office. No respon­ sibility is assumed for the return of Please see back cover for quantity purchase rates. unsolicited manuscripts. Copyright e1978, by Current History, Inc. Publication no. 140440. NO ADVERTISING