Israel’s Cabinet today instructed its delegation to the United Nations to vote against a resolution to come up before the General Assembly this week, dealing with the Arab refugee situation, because the resolution refers to a 1948 Assembly measure interpreted as giving the refugees the right to “return” to Israel or to obtain compensation from Israel.
The decision to oppose the resolution was taken at yesterday’s weekly Cabinet session and was officially announced today. The resolution was passed three weeks ago by the U. N. Assembly’s Special Political Committee after it had been introduced by the United States and amended by a change presented by Pakistan and Somalia. It is to be put to the vote by a plenary session of the Assembly this week, probably Wednesday.
The original U. S. draft of the measure started by “recalling” a resolution adopted by the Assembly in 1948. The Arab states have contended repeatedly that the 1948 measure gives the refugees the “right to repatriation.” Israel has always refused to concede that such a “right” exists.
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