The Cabinet today declared “null and void” a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Friday night calling for the total isolation of Israel in all spheres because of its annexation of the Golan Heights.
The Arab-sponsored resolution, which is not binding, would impose military, economic and cultural sanctions against Israel. It was adopted by a vote of 86-21 with 34 abstentions and 16 countries not voting. The Cabinet declared that the government of Israel will ignore the “wicked resolution.” It proved once again, the Cabinet statement said, the existence of an automatic majority against Israel in the General Assembly.
Today’s Cabinet session, shorter than usual, was devoted mainly to the resolution. It was chaired by Deputy Premier Simcha Ehrlich. Premier Menachem Begin, who did not attend, nevertheless drafted the Cabinet’s statement.
It expressed appreciation to the 21 democratic countries, including the United States, which voted against the resolution and noted favorably those countries which abstained, Egypt among them, or which took exception to the resolution. Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir had particular praise for the stands taken by Mexico and Finland. Finland voted against the resolution. Mexico was among the non-voters. He noted, too, that Egypt did not support it.
The Cabinet statement strongly denounced the UN as an organization which does not contribute toward peace in the Middle East. The UN has become a tool in the hands of hostile countries, to disseminate their hostility and hypocrisy and to engage in subversive activities against the peace of the peoples and their security, the Cabinet said.
OPERATIVE PARAGRAPHS OF THE RESOLUTION
The operative paragraphs of the resolution state that the General Assembly “Declares that Israel’s record and actions confirm that it is not a peace-loving state and that it has carried out neither the obligations under the Charter nor its fulfillment under General Assembly Resolution? 3 of 11 May, 1949, calls upon all member states to apply the following measures:
A) To refrain from supplying Israel with any weapons and related equipment and to suspend any military assistance which Israel receives from them; B) To refrain from acquiring any weapons or military equipment from Israel; C) to suspend economic, financial and technological assistance and cooperation with Israel; D) to sever diplomatic, trade and cultural relations with Israel; also calls upon all member states to cease forthwith, individually and collectively, all dealings with Israel in order to totally isolate it in all fields.”
Shamir, who opened the session with a briefing and analysis of the resolution set the tone for the government statement when he said that Israel should neither overreact nor should it dismiss the resolution completely. The statement noted that Israel, since its independence, has striven to conclude peace treaties with its neighbors and would persist in its efforts for peace and security.
The statement singled out the Arab countries for condemnation and implied that their principal ally, the Soviet Union, was “unfit to preach to others about peace and human rights.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Yehuda Blum, left for Israel today for consultations and evaluation of the situation in the aftermath of the General Assembly’s action. According to a spokesperson at the Israel Mission in New York, he will remain in Israel for 10 days of talks with Shamir and other top government officials.
BLUM DENOUNCES FORCES OF LAWLESSNESS
Blum said at a press conference in New York Thursday night that the anti-Israel draft resolution, then pending, was likely to damage the UN more than Israel. “The international forces of lawlessness have hijacked the UN,” Blum charged, noting that the resolution refers to Israel as a “not peace-loving nation.” He declared: “The UN has no power or ability to isolate Israel now or ever. It can only isolate itself.”
Interior Minister Yosef Burg suggested today that the opposition factions be asked to form a united front against the resolution. Other ministers maintained that this was not feasible because of the Labor Alignment’s negative view of the Golan law.
The Labor Party branded the General Assembly resolution “worthless.” But the party noted at the same time that this does not mean that Labor has to defend every government position automatically, particularly if it acted against the vital interests of the State. The Labor statement was issued in response to Likud charges that Labor had not rallied to the government’s support at a difficult time.
COUNTRIES VOTING AGAINST THE RESOLUTION
The 20 countries which joined Israel in voting against the resolution were: Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, West Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and the United States.
The 34 abstainers included Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Egypt, Spain, Turkey, Venezuela and Zaire.
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