The United Nations Security Council will resume tomorrow afternoon a session called to hear Israeli charges against murderous Syrian-based guerrilla raids. The session got under way Friday night only after a lengthy filibuster by the Soviet Union, Bulgaria and Jordan. The session lasted until early yesterday morning.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Abba Eban cited 30 declarations from official Syrian sources expressing “an intention to destroy Israel.” Spokesmen for the United States, Britain, France and New Zealand unequivocally challenged the official Syrian stand that Damascus had no responsibility for repeated El Fatah raids in Israel territory.
Much attention was paid at the session to a vigil staged in an office in the building of the Syrian mission to the U.N. by 19 members of Betar, the Brith Trumpeldor movement of Zionist extremists. The 15 male members wore skullcaps and prayer shawls. After rushing by a guard, the Betar members locked themselves in an office and chanted “End Syrian Aggression” and “We Shall Overcome,” the anthem of the American civil rights movement.
Arrested on a complaint signed by Arthur J. Goldberg, chief U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the 19 were arraigned before New York City Criminal Court Judge Hyman Solniker on charges of disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly and trespassing. They were paroled for a hearing on November 25. Israeli leaders, both here and in Jerusalem, condemned the action by the extremists severely.
In his Security Council address, Mr. Eban rejected Syrian and Soviet charges of alleged Israeli preparations for military operations against Syria. He said Israel was willing to allow members of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization to inspect Israel’s side of the border to disprove such charges, and he challenged Syria to accept a similar U.N. inspection. In his reply, Dr. George J. Tomeh, the Syrian representative, avoided any comment on that challenge. Mr. Eban demanded “a solemn and emphatic condemnation” by the Council against “hostile acts and illicit infiltration’s” against Israel “supported by the Syrian Government.”
Israel’s case at the late-night Council meeting was supported by four of the five Council members who participated in the debate, including the Ambassadors for the United States, Britain, France and New Zealand. Only one Council member thus far has supported Syria’s reply. He was Dr. Nikolai T. Fedorenko, head of the Soviet delegation here.
Mr. Eban departed from New York at midnight Saturday after leading his country’s delegation here since September 20. During that period, he had — in addition to representing Israel at the Security Council — met here with 58 delegation heads, including 52 Foreign Ministers. He said he would meet in Paris with French Foreign Minister Maurice Couve de Murville, and in Rome, later this week, with Italian Foreign Minister Amintore Fanfani, to discuss primarily Israel’s application for associate membership in the European Economic Community.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
