Thant Sees Mideast Possibly at Beginning of ‘hundred Years’ War’

United Nations Secretary-General U Thant took a pessimistic view of the situation in the Middle East last night and speculated that developments there might be “something like the early stages of a new hundred years’ war.” Mr. Thant’s appraisal came in the course of a speech to the Navy League of the United States in which he bemoaned the failure of UN members to respect resolutions of the Security Council and of the Security Council to enforce its unanimous decisions. UN observers considered that Mr. Thant’s scolding was directed principally at Israel which has refused to accept Security Council demands that it rescind measures taken in the unification of Jerusalem.

“If the world becomes accustomed to the decisions of the highest UN organ for peace and security going by default or being ignored,” Mr. Thant declared, “we shall have taken a very dangerous step backwards towards anarchy.” He stressed the need for Security Council members to back up their decisions “with all the various means at their disposal.”