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Afro-asian Bloc Threatens Israel, Demands Full Withdrawal of Troops

January 10, 1957
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Under pressure of the entire Arab League, with Egypt in the leadership, the Afro-Asian bloc today appointed a special five-member committee to press for Israel’s immediate withdrawal of troops from the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip under threat of summoning a plenary session of the General Assembly to censure Israel. Announcement of this step was made here after a meeting of the entire-Afro-Asian group by the bloc’s current chairman, Ambassador Toshikazu Kase of Japan.

Ambassador Abba Eban, Israel’s delegate to the United Nations, conferred here today with Sir Pierson Dixon, British chief delegate, on the question of freedom of passage through the Gulf of Akaba for Israel shipping and security guarantees before making further withdrawal of troops.

Today’s meeting followed one yesterday between Israel Foreign Minister Mrs. Golda Mein and French foreign Minister Christian Pineau. It is understood that during their conversation M. Pineau told Mrs. Meir that the French Government looks with absolute sympathy and understanding upon Israel’s insistence on guarantees or assurances that the old status quo of Arab belligerency will not be reinstated.

Addressing the 80-member Economic Committee of the UN General Assembly, Zev Argaman, Israel’s representative on that committee, today hit hard at the Arab states for their economic and shipping blockades against the Jewish State. At the same time, he criticized the Soviet Union for abrogating the oil agreement under which Russia had furnished petroleum to Israel until Moscow cancelled the agreement unilaterally in November in “defense” of Egypt. Mr. Argaman, did not, however, mention any of the Arab States or the Soviet Union by name.

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