Conclusions

Begin's words (all from Time30/5/77) are chilling. They offer no hope for a peaceful or just solution to the problems of the Palestinian people. They are the first shots in a new Arab-Israeli war — a war that will momentarily take the place of the current 'no-war-no-peace' that the superpowers have forced on the Middle East peoples.

But it is important to recognise that Begin is not the odd man out in Israeli politics (just as it is important to recognise the same fact about Muldoon). He has been a cabinet Minister in a previous 'socialist' government. His sentiments are only more firm than those of previous Israeli rulers — there is nothing new in them. His replacement will not change a h thing.

— Bruce Robinson.