Foreign Minister Abdul Halim Khaddam of Syria contended today in the General Assembly that Israel should be a “candidate for expulsion” from the United Nations for her “racial” policies, her “imperialist occupation” of Arab territories and her “Nazi-fashion Zionist aggression in the Middle East.” Late yesterday afternoon, Foreign Minister Abdullah Salah of Jordan asserted to the Assembly delegates that “There will be no peace in the Middle East so long as the holy city of Jerusalem remains under the domination of Israel.”
Foreign Minister Pierre Harmel of Belgium advised the Assembly yesterday that a Mideast peace had to be built on what he termed three inseparable pillars: “The conclusion of a peace treaty, guarantees offered by the community of nations and the establishment of stable and recognized frontiers.” In suggesting Israel’s expulsion from the UN, Khaddam cited Article 6 of the UN Charter: “A member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.” Khaddam made no reference to Article 33 of the Charter, which requires that parties to a dispute “shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation…” Syria has refused to accept Security Council Resolution 242 and has refused to negotiate with Israel.
Salah, in stating that Israel must relinquish her “domination” of Jerusalem, claimed that the “tragedy” of that “immortal” city was that the Israeli government was trying to turn the Eastern sector “into a virtual ghetto” with a view toward eventually destroying its Arab character. The Jordaman complained of Israel’s playing “a game of semantics and procrastination” in not agreeing to total withdrawal.
DEMILITARIZED ZONES UNDER TASK FORCE
Harmel said that a Mideast peace agreement would be a fundamental change in relations because it would include “explicit recognition of the State of Israel, of its independence” and “acceptance of freedom of movement in the Tiran Straits and the Suez Canal.” He stated that the countries of the European community, of which Belgium is one, were trying to harmonize their Mideast views in order to resolve the conflicts affecting peace in the area.
Harmel recommended an international pledge to uphold such a treaty and a double guarantee to enforce it: First, a Security Council task force should supervise “demilitarized zones and probably zones where United Nations forces would be stationed…and could be changed, adjusted or terminated only by a new decision of the Council”; second, the UN should underwrite massive aid to a return to normal economic and social conditions in the Mideast, with the European economic community making “a substantial contribution.”
Harmel said that an interim agreement on the Suez Canal would facilitate solution of such problems as Jerusalem and the refugees. He added that there was more need now than ever before for the peace mission of UN intermediary Dr. Gunnar V. Jarring of Sweden. Israeli circles here called Harmel’s speech balanced and positive. They added that Eban’s talks today with the Foreign Ministers of Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and Finland were very satisfactory. The subjects of discussion included the Mideast and Israel’s demand for the same preferential aid treatment accorded by Europe to 77 “developing countries.”
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.
