In his first policy statement before the 59-Nation Political Committee which is now discussing the fate of the Italian colonies, Israel’s representative Aubrey S. Eban today said that the Jewish state opposes British trusteeship over Cyrenaica. It was Eban’s maiden speech about 18 hours after Israel was admitted as a member of the United Nations.
Without presuming to make definite conclusions on a complicated issue which Israel has not yet fully studied, Eban said that Israel’s guiding principles in dealing with the future of the former Italian colonies would be swift and earliest independence, if possible, and a broad -international trusteeship with provisions for “speedy and swift” evolution to freedom, Israel, he said, will Judge the nature of any trusteeship on the basis of the least possible privilege to the trust power. Experience, Eban said, has unfortunately shown that British interests in these areas are more closely linked to strategic interests rather than the welfare of the people.
As for Ethiopia’s claims in the colonies, Eban declared, Israeli troops had helped literate the area and Israeli technicians are now aiding in the growth of Ethiopia. Therefore, Israel will look with sympathy to Ethiopia’s claim for an outlet to the sea, Ethiopia, in last night’s balloting on Israel’s membership application, cast a negative vote.
With regard to the Italian claims, Eban stated that there must be a distinction between colonialism for control and colonialism for settlement. It would be unjust, he declared, to confuse pre-war interests of Italy with the aspirations of the country today. Meanwhile, he added, Israel will reserve her right to give a final opinion on Italy’s claims.
Dr. Maurice Perlzweig of the World Jewish Congress, who appeared today at the Political Committee as an accredited representative of the Jewish community of Tripolitania, told the Committee that the Jews in Tripolitania would prefer a U.N. trusteeship over the former Italian colonies.
Dr. Perlzweig gave his reaction to a sub-committee proposal for the retention of Tripolitanian under British rule until 1951. It was hi3 second declaration before the Political Committee now debating the disposal of the former Italian colonies.
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