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The Palestinians suspect that the raid had been designed to kill or kidnap Habash and other P.F.L.P. leaders. For once, Israeli intelligence was at fault; unbeknownst to the spies, the scheduled strategy meeting at the camps had been postponed. Rather than return emptyhanded, the raiding party blew up suspected fedayeen installations before they went home.
For the U.S., the week's events in the Middle East could scarcely have come at a worse time. Still, Washington did its best to make its visitor from Egypt feel welcome. A tall, graying onetime ambassador to London, Paris and Rome, Ismail was expansively greeted by Nixon at the White House. "In this very troubled and explosive area of the world," said the President, "our major goal is to move things off dead center." Ismail, who brought a personal message to Nixon from Sadat, emphasized to his hosts the expectable point: Egypt does not intend to give up territory in any settlement with Israel. Beyond that, there were practical hints that a peaceful rapport between Cairo and Washington is feasible only as long as Sadat stays in power; if domestic upheavals overthrow the President, international settlements will be a long time in coming.
Emerging from his Washington talks last week, Ismail told newsmen "there has been progress"—even though neither side had offered any new plans. Far livelier and franker discussions are likely to take place at the White House this week, when Mrs. Meir makes her annual shopping trip. In light of last week's events, the atmosphere may be rather cool.