Israel Rejects Call to Pay Reparations for Destroying Iraqi Nuclear Reactor

Israel rejected today France’s suggestion in the Security Council yesterday that it pay reparations to Iraq for destroying Iraq’s nuclear reactor.

Using his right of reply at the Security Council, Yehuda Blum, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, asked, “Did the allies pay reparations after they destroyed the Nazis’ atomic plant at Peenemuende and elsewhere during World War II ? Let me assure this Council,” Blum declared, “that Israel will pay precisely the same sum as what those who made this bizarre suggestion paid after World War II, and not a brass farthing more.”

Blum charged that the anti-Israel speeches in the Security Council since last Friday only prove “that it is impossible to expect from this Council and indeed, from this world organization, a fair hearing.” He said that none of the speakers in the Council has answered Israel’s questions in regard to Iraq’s nuclear plan, questions such as why did Iraq insist on receiving a 70 megawatt reactor which has no use as an energy source and which is far too large for purposes of the peaceful kind. Or the fact that Iraq insisted on receiving weapons grade nuclear fuel rather than the alternative of “Caramel” fuel.

A U.N. spokesman said today that he expects the Council to continue its debate until Thursday when a vote will be taken on a resolution calling for sanctions against Israel.

ISRAEL BLASTED BY USSR, EGYPT

Israel was sharply condemned for the attack by the Soviet Union and Egypt at last night’s session. The Soviet Ambassador, Oleg Troyanovsky, urged the Security Council to adopt a resolution “categorically condemning Israel for its action and applying sanctions under Chapter 7 of the (UN) Charter.” He charged that Israel could not have launched the attack without knowing in advance that it had “the understanding and encouragement of Washington.” The Soviet envoy contended that the raid was a result of U.S. policy in the Middle East of encouraging separate deals, an allusion to the Camp David accords. He said the USSR favored an inter-

national conference to reach a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East.

Egyptian Ambassador Ahmed Esmat Abdel Meguid said that Israel’s attack set a very dangerous precedent which threatened world peace and was contrary to the spirit of peace and to efforts to reach a settlement in the area. He charged further that the raid was a breach of the Camp David accords. “If a party to these accords acts to the contrary, the blame and responsibility should be put on the actor and not on the accords which must be fully implemented and scrupulously respected,” Meguid said.

He called on Israel to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and to place all of its nuclear activities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Commission.