African, Latin American States Call for Direct Arab-israel Talks

Fifteen countries–including eight African, six Latin American and The Netherlands–today presented a joint resolution to the United Nations Special Political Committee calling upon the Arab states and Israel to undertake direct negotiations to settle “all the questions in dispute between them, including the question of the Arab refugees.”

It was the first time in many years that an effort has been made here to bring Israel and the Arab states together for direct face-to-face talks looking toward general peace in the Middle East. The introduction of the resolution in the Committee–where a bitter debate has been underway for a week and a half on the Arab refugee problem–seemed to shock the Arab delegations.

The resolution, tied to the annual report by Dr. John H. Davis, director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, would put the General Assembly on record as “recognizing that the establishment of peaceful relations between the Arab states and Israel would do much to facilitate a solution of the problem of the Arab refugees.”

Recalling that under the United Nations Charter “it is the fundamental duty of all states members of the United Nations to endeavor to settle all international disputes by peaceful means, “today’s resolution confirms all previous General Assembly and Security Council resolutions which had called upon Israel and the Arab states “to settle the questions in dispute between them as soon as possible and by common agreement, so that peaceful relations may be established between them.”

The resolution continued: “Considering that such peaceful relations would promote the well being of all the peoples concerned and would make an important contribution to peace and security in the Middle East and in the whole world, the General Assembly renews its appeal to the governments of the Conciliation Commission for Palestine, if they so desire–with a view to finding a solution, acceptable to all the parties concerned, for all the questions in dispute between them, including the question of the Arab refugees.”

The list of co-sponsors of the resolution includes the Central African Republic, Chile, Congo (Brazaville), Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Madagascar, The Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Togo, Upper Volta and Uruguay. It is known here that a number of other African, Asian, Latin American and West European members have indicated they will support the Arab-Israel peace resolution, although they are not among the co-sponsors.

U.S. RESOLUTION SEEKS REINTEGRATION OF ARAB REFUGEES

At the same time today, the United States delegation presented a separate resolution, which does not conflict with the 15-states resolution, calling for intensification of the work of the Palestine Conciliation Commission. The American resolution specifically mentioned reintegration of the Arab refugees “either by repatriation or resettlement.”

The Arab delegations have consistently rejected the possible reintegration or resettlement of the refugees, insisting only on “repatriation” en masse or compensation by Israel. The American draft notes “with deep regret that repatriation or compensation of the refugees has not been effected,” that no substantial progress “has been made in the program for the reintegration of refugees either by repatriation or resettlement and that therefore the situation of the refugees continues to be a matter of serious concern.”

Calling upon the Palestine Conciliation Commission to “intensify its efforts,” the American resolution urges the Arab “host governments” and Israel to cooperate with the Commission. The “host governments” are those of the jurisdictions where the refugees live–the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

The American resolution further calls upon the PCC to intensify its work on the identification and evaluation of Arab refugee properties in Israel “and to make every effort to complete this work by September 1, 1962.” This clause also requests the United Nations Secretary General to provide the Commission with “such additional staff and administrative facilities as may be required.”

A spokesman for the American delegation expressed the opinion that neither the 15-member resolution nor the anti-Israel resolution expected to be introduced by the Arab bloc would obtain a majority in the Committee. He said the United States would not vote for the 15-member resolution because the United States considers “it is not a practical approach to the problem.”

The resolution expected to be introduced by the Arab delegations insists on the establishment of a United Nations custodianship over alleged Arab property in Israel; reorganization of the PCC so as to include members of the Soviet bloc and “unaligned” countries; and possibly the creation of a special United Nations Commission to examine the conditions under which the Arabs in Israel live.