The Arab group at the United Nations will try for the seventh straight year to oust Israel from the world organization, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned Thursday.
According to diplomatic sources, the group decided several days ago to introduce a resolution to reject Israel’s credentials, when the U.N. General Assembly is asked to approve the credentials of all member states.
This is an annual formality, expected to take place this year on or around Oct. 15.
The Arabs have repeatedly failed to deny Israel its place in the General Assembly, but the margin of support for their moves has steadily decreased year by year.
Their declining support raised speculation that they might abandon their attempt to reject Israel this year.
But according to sources, the extremist Arab countries– notably Libya, Syria and Iraq– prevailed, despite the embarrassment of defeat which seems virtually certain.
The JTA also learned, meanwhile, that much to Israel’s disappointment, the Soviet Union did not heed its request not to join the Arab ouster attempt.
According to every indication, the Soviets intend again to support the Arabs’ resolution to suspend Israel, as they have in past years.
Israeli diplomats reportedly told Soviet officials that in view of Moscow’s eagerness to participate in an international Middle East peace conference, and in view of efforts to improve relations between Israel and the USSR, it is inappropriate for the Soviet to back a vindictive anti-Israel motion in the General Assembly.
LEBANON BLASTS ISRAEL
In an unrelated development, Lebanon charged Thursday that Israel’s continued occupation of parts of southern Lebanon is the major cause for tension in the area and might jeopardize international peace.
Addressing the General Assembly, Rachid Fakhoury, Lebanon’s ambassador, accused Israel of regularly staging attacks against villages in Lebanon by air, land and sea.
“One of the main causes for the continuing ordeal afflicting the Lebanese people for about 14 years has been the continued Israeli aggression against Lebanon, and the continued occupation by Israel of parts of its land.
“This ordeal is today increasing in gravity and complexity, and is reaching alarming proportions to the extent that it is now threatening the very unity and existence of Lebanon,” the envoy maintained.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin sent a letter of congratulations Thursday to U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, on the awarding of the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize to the U.N. peacekeeping forces.
The text of the letter, released by the Israeli Mission here, said in part, “We greatly appreciate the value of the activities undertaken by the U.N. forces in safeguarding the peace which is so desired by us all.”
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