The General Assembly adopted last night a resolution condemning Israel “for its collaboration with the racist regime of South Africa.” The anti-Israel resolution was one of 14 resolutions condemning the apartheid policies of the Pretoria government. The vote condemning Israel was 88-19 with 30 abstentions.
Israel, as a protest for being singled out for condemnation even though many other countries have economic ties with South Africa, did not participate in any of the votes on apartheid except to support the resolution on International Anti-Apartheid Year.
In his address to the Assembly before the voting, Chaim Herzog, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said that Israel’s trade with South Africa last year amounted to two-fifths of one percent of South Africa’s total trade of $7 billion. He charged that many of the African and Arab countries which sponsored the anti-Israel resolution, are doing more business with South Africa than Israel does.
DENIES NUCLEAR COOPERATION
The resolution against Israel was sponsored, among others, by Angola, Cuba, Egypt, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Zambia and was described by them as following from the report of a special committee on apartheid that cited Israel’s military and economic ties with South Africa.
Describing the resolution as “a cynical exercise in international hypocrisy,” Herzog denied allegations about nuclear cooperation between his country and South Africa. He also refuted accusations that Israel gives military assistance to South Africa. He said that Israel acts in accordance with a recent Security Council resolution which calls for arms embargo against Pretoria.
Virtually all the Western countries, including the United States, voted against the resolution condemning Israel. Guatemala also voted negatively. Abstaining were many Latin American nations as well as such African countries as Swaziland, Malawi, Liberia, the Ivory Coast and the Central African Empire. Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Iran also abstained.
Virtually all the Western countries, including the United States, voted against the resolution condemning Israel. Guatemala also voted negatively. Abstaining were many Latin American nations as well as such African countries as Swaziland, Malawi, Liberia, the Ivory Coast and the Central African Empire. Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Iran also abstained.
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