Arabs Attack U.S. for Starting Talks on Solving Refugee Problem

Totally ignoring Israel’s fresh call for peace talks, Arab representatives here unlimbered their heavy anti-Israeli artillery today, virtually calling for Israel’s dismemberment, as the General Assembly’s Special Political Committee went into a second day of debate on the Arab refugee issue.

At the same time, principal Arab spokesmen also attacked the United States for having initiated quiet high-level talks with Israeli and Arab leaders in an effort to find some solution to the refugee problem. Those talks were announced yesterday by the Palestine Conciliation Commission, composed of representatives of the United States, France and Turkey, with the Americans acting on behalf of the PCC.

The new call for Arab-Israeli peace was issued at the committee’s opening session on the refugee debate yesterday, by Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative, while Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel’s Foreign Minister, sat behind him to give highest backing to his waving of the olive branch. But today, Ahmad Shukairy, formerly the representative of Saudi Arabia, and previously Syria’s delegation chairman, who now represents the Arab League, rejected the Israeli peace offer.

Mr. Shukairy appeared at the head of an 18-member group calling itself the “Palestine Arab Delegation.” Thirteen Arab delegations had submitted a letter to the committee chairman, Mihail Haseganu of Rumania, requesting that the so-called “delegation” be seated. However, Mr. Haseganu called on Shukairy to speak as an individual representing Arab refugees.

In a rambling address lasting well over two hours, Mr. Shukairy reiterated every violent charge against Israel, Zionism and “imperialism” ever voiced here, called for the mass “repatriation” of all the refugees into Israeli territory, expressed a desire for the dismemberment of Israel, and concluded by shouting that the issue of peace or war in the Middle East is up to the United Nations. “The choice rests with you,” be told the representatives of III member states seated in the General Assembly’s main auditorium, “the crucial question is: peace or no peace, war or no war.”

ARABS PRESENT FOUR-POINT PROGRAM ON ISRAEL TO U. N. ASSEMBLY

The general line of the Arab delegations in the current debate had already been outlined by Abdul Monem Rifa’i, of Jordan. He had presented a four-point program, declaring: “I. Israel must recognize the rights of the refugees; Z. Jewish immigration to Israel must be stopped; 3. The refugees must be given the choice of repatriation or compensation, and assurance that their wishes would be carried out; 4. United Nations custodian should be appointed to protect and maintain Arab refugee property in Israel, with the revenues to go to the refugees pending their repatriation.” Every one of these points has been made by the Arab delegations year after year, and have failed of adoption.

Next to attacking Israel, the Arab delegations directed their ire at the PCC and at the United States for the “quiet” talks. They were particularly perturbed because the PCC had reported the talks with Israeli and Arab leaders were being conducted without “preconditions.”

Replying to the Arab jibes, Francis T.P. Plimpton, U.S. representative in the committee as well as the American member of the PCC, said that reference to the non-existence of “preconditions” meant simply that no prior conditions had been set insofar as such might concern “the methods of carrying out the Commission’s mandate.” He told the Arab spokesmen they had “misunderstood” the PCC report on those continuing talks.

The refugee debate is to continue tomorrow, with the Egyptian and Saudi Arabian delegations slated to speak. The committee has set aside a minimum of 15 meetings for the refugee debate this year.