Blum Blasts UN Committee Decision to Hold Conclave on South African-israel ‘alliance’

Ambassador Yehuda Blum of Israel charged today that a decision last week by the Special Committee Against Apartheid to hold an international conference “on the alliance between South Africa and Israel “is illegal and should, therefore, be cancelled.

Speaking at a press conference, Blum said that the Special Committee singled out Israel’s trade with South Africa, which, according to Blum is only two-fifths of one percent of South Africa’s international trade, as a pretext for convening the conference.

“This is a mockery and a travesty.” Blum declared, claiming that the Special Committee’s decision was illegal because it did not receive the authorization of the General Assembly as UN rules require.

The Special Committee announced last Friday that it will hold the conference on the alleged Israeli-South African alliance, at the Vienna International Center from July II to July 13. The conference is being organized, the Special Committee announced, “in cooperation with the Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organization, the Organization of African Trade Union Unity and the World Peace Council.”

Blum said today that the Special Committee did not issue a report on the financial aspects of the upcoming conference as the rules of the UN require, and it is also illegal because it lacks General Assembly authorization.

He accused the Special Committee of bias against, Israel, charging that many of the 18 members of the Committee represent countries that trade with South Africa on a much larger scale than Israel. He said that the decision to hold the conference was “the height of its (the Committee’s) anti-Israel campaign.”

“The entire resolution is a travesty, ” Blum said. “We demand that this illegal decision of the Special Committee on Apartheid be rescinded forthwith.”