The United States is expected to oppose the usual resolution condemning Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which invariably comes up at the annual meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Commission opening here Monday.
But now all eyes are on Eastern Europe.
“It will be interesting this year to watch the way the newly independent Eastern European states will vote on the anti-Israel resolution and to listen to their statements,” a diplomatic observer remarked.
The first item on the agenda is “the violations of human rights in the territories occupied by Israel.” The Eastern bloc countries have voted in the past with the Arab states and many Third World countries to condemn Israel.
Israel will be defended by its new ambassador, Yitzhak Lior, and by the recently appointed U.S. ambassador, Morris Abram.
Abram stated at a news conference last week that the United States will continue to block one sided anti-Israel resolutions in the Human Rights Commission, which will be in session to March 9.
He also made clear that the United States will continue to oppose efforts by the Palestine Liberation Organization to gain admission into specialized agencies of the United Nations.
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