Ambassador Michael Comay of Israel told the General Assembly’s Special Political Committee today that Poland, whose troops had joined in the invasion of Czechoslovakia, had no right to accuse Israel of aggression and rejected as “intemperate and unprovoked” a statement before the committee yesterday by Ryszard Frackiewicz, the Polish delegate, critical of Israel. The Israeli delegate said his remarks applied equally to the “stereotyped anti-Israel remarks” made by the Bulgarian representative in the committee’s debate.
Mr. Comay also said that the proof of Poland’s anti-Semitism was in its Government’s acts and deeds that could not be disclaimed by statements in the committee. Revival of anti-Semitism in Poland “for internal purposes,” was, he said, “a shameful act.” He expressed sorrow that Poland had sided with the Soviet Union last year during the Arab-Israel dispute and said there was no enmity between the people of Poland and Israel.
The committee, which is debating the report of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees and an American resolution to extend the life of UNRWA for three years from next June 30, heard a series of attacks on Israel by representatives of the Communist bloc and the Arab states and a demand by Iraq that the refugee problem be given priority over all other Middle East questions. The Hungarian representative, who said the Arab refugees should return to Israel territory, by implication criticized President-elect Richard M. Nixon in asserting that the call by some Western leaders for military superiority for Israel did not contribute to solution of the refugee problem.
The Arab attack on Israel was pressed again today in the General Assembly’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee in the course of debate on the international year for human rights. Mrs. Tamar Eshel, the Israeli representative fought back in heated exchanges with the Iraqi and Syrian delegates who were supported by the Egyptian and Polish delegates and representatives of some of the African states.
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.
