After two months of relative quiet with respect to the Middle East, an all-out anti-Israel offensive is about to be launched at the 33rd General Assembly of the United Nations. The anti-Israel campaign, beginning next week, will culminate on Nov. 29 when the UN marks “Solidarity Day with the Palestinian People” with official ceremonies, lectures and the screening of a film produced by the Special Unit for Palestinian Rights of the UN Secretariate.
Nov. 29 is the 31st anniversary of the UN partition resolution that opened the way for Israel’s independence and was apparently selected for that reason as “Palestine Day.”
A harbinger of the anti-Israel storm soon to break was the publication today of a thick volume entitled “The Origin and Evolution of the Palestinian Problem” which interprets the Arab-Israeli conflict from a PLO viewpoint. Israel will also come under heavy fire when the General Assembly opens its annual debate on the Palestinians on Nov. 27. This will be followed early in December by the opening of the annual Middle East debate.
ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIONS PINPOINTED
Next week, the General Assembly will begin debate on apartheid. Israel’s Ambassador
As in past years, Israel will be accused of violations of human rights and international conventions. The special committee will also discuss the issue of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. Israel does not recognize the investigatory committee which is composed of Sri Lanka, Senegal and Yugoslavia, none of which has diplomatic relations with Israel.
Another vehemently anti-Israel resolution is expected to come before the Political Committee (First Committee) of the General Assembly at the end the month. This is an Iraqi-sponsored draft that calls on the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Israel, citing alleged nuclear cooperation between Israel and South Africa. Although it is not expected to be adopted by the Security Council because of the U.S. veto, Blum told a group of Israeli journalists today that such a resolution could harm Israel because it gives additional legitimacy to attempts to isolate Israel in the international arena.
BOYCOTT OF PALESTINE DAY SPREADING
The United States has already declared that it will not participate in the Palestine Day events on Nov. 29. It was learned today that other Western countries, including Australia, New Zealand and much of South America also will not participate. It is not known yet whether UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim will take part in the events.
Reviewing the first two months of the current General Assembly, Blum said a certain feeling of “embarrassment” was noticed among Arab delegations in view of the peace negotiations under way between Israel and Egypt. He said these delegations did not always know how to react and respond to various anti-Israel moves. He also said he noted a tacit approval of Egyptian policy on the part of certain Arab delegations, but did not identify them.
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