Israel skeptical about PLO policy shift

Official Israeli reaction to Yasser Arafat's purported acceptance of United Nations Resolution 242 was skeptical.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Avi Paznr claimed the Palestine Liberation Organization had ''tried to use'' US Rep. Paul N. McCloskey Jr. (R) of California who obtained Mr. Arafat's signature on a document reportedly accepting all UN resolutions relevant to the Palestinian question. ''All the deceit and declarations given for the benefit for public opinion . . . do not help the PLO,'' Mr. Paznr said.

Reflecting Israeli belief that the PLO is using the recognition issue as a ploy to gain world backing for remaining in Lebanon, Mr. Paznr added, ''they will have to leave Beirut. Then if they really want to change their policy, they would have to repudiate the Palestinian charter, to cease being a terrorist organization.''

Labor Party leader Shimon Peres was also skeptical. ''What is really needed, is a serious, clear-cut decision (by the PLO) - the source of approach (Anwar) Sadat took. All the other is an evasive approach to a serious situation,'' he said.

On the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Former Nablus Mayor Bassam Shaka said, ''Yasser Arafat and his PLO have whole responsibility. Mutual recognition is possible now . . . if Israel accepts the right of a state for the Palestinians.''