Blum: Decision to Let 2 Arab, Mayors Stage Hunger Strike in the UN is ‘an Unfriendly Act Toward Isra

Ambassador Yehuda Blum of Israel, in a telephone conversation with Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, charged yesterday that the UN Secretariate decision to allow two West Bank mayors to stage a hunger strike inside the UN was “an unfriendly act toward Israel.”

In a statement issued here by the Israel Mission to the UN, Blum was quoted as telling Waldheim: “To the best of our knowledge this is the first instance in which the Secretary General has authorized the holding of a demonstration inside the building and has thus broken with well established practice.” Blum said that a precedent has now been set for “millions of individuals who have genuine grievances” to set similar demonstrations inside the UN. “Such persons include the relatives of the American host- ages in Iran and the refugees from Afghanistan,” Blum said.

The two mayors, Fahd Kawasme of Hebron and Mohammed Milhim of Holhoul, started their hunger strike inside the UN on Friday following the adoption by the Security Council of a resolution calling on Israel to permit their return to the West Bank.

Blum also told Waldheim that “it was astonishing that permission for the strike was given minutes after the mayors had announced their intention to hold it.” Blum contended that the Council’s resolution appealed to Israel to permit the mayors to return to their homes but did not give permission to hold demonstrations inside the UN.

The Israel Mission to the UN today circulated to the press a document detailing the “inflammatory statements” by the two mayors and the recent Israeli Supreme Court decision on their expulsion from Israel.

CLERICS ASK PERMISSION TO HOLD HUNGER STRIKE

Meanwhile, a group of three rabbis and two nuns have coked Waldheim to permit them “to stage a hunger strike and prayer vigil in the United Nations on behalf of the Americans still held hostage in Iron, the four Catholic women slaughtered in El Salvador and victims of terrorism throughout the world.” The request follows the permission granted by Waldheim. to the two mayors to conduct their hunger strike.

The rabbis,–Avraham Weiss of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Kenneth Hain of Congregation Orach Chaim of Manhattan and Reuven Gradner of Young Israel of Scarsdale, and the nuns, Sister Rose Thering, professor of education at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, and Ann Patrick Were, vice president of the Nations Coalition of American Nuns, mode their request in a telegram sent to Waldheim.

In the telegram they charged that “inflammatory statements” by the two West Bank mayors caused the terrorist attack in which six yeshiva students were murdered in Hebron May 2.

INCENSED AT ‘UNIQUE TREATMENT’

Weiss, in a telephone interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, said the group is still awaiting a reply to their telegram from Waldheim or any of his aides. “We sent the telegram of Waldheim because we are incensed that the UN is granting a unique treatment to two men who have encouraged terrorism throughout the world, ” Weiss said. He stated that the telegram was sent on behalf of the Ad Hoc Committee of Clergy Opposed to Terrorism Throughout the World, formed by the three rabbis and the two nuns.

Meanwhile, Kawasme and Milhim continued their hunger strike today outside the Security Council chamber. The two men were busy granting interviews to reporters. They said their hunger strike was aimed at drawing attention to their plight and trying to build pressure on Israel to abide by the Council resolution. They conceded, however, that they do not intend to starve themselves to death.” They declined to say how long they would continue their strike.