Chaim Herzog, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, observed yesterday that the Western bloc emerged united from the debate in the Security Council on the Israeli rescue operation in Uganda, while the African bloc and its Communist and Arab supporters were divided to the point where the Africans had to withdraw their anti-Israel resolution.
Interviewed on WABC-TV “Eyewitness News,” Herzog stressed that international terrorism can be defeated only by a concerted effort of the free world. He said that the free world countries should boycott any country that supports terrorism in any way. The Israeli envoy accused Libya of being the “paymaster” of international terrorism. He said that Libya can be pressured on this subject by countries which have economic and political relations with it by severing all relations with Libya until it stops its support of terror.
Herzog disclosed that many African delegates privately congratulated Israel during the Security Council debate on the spectacular rescue mission at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. “The feeling that we got,” Herzog said, “was that Africa can no longer tolerate President Idi Amin.”
Asked why 20 Ugandan soldiers were killed during the rescue operation, Herzog said they were killed because they guarded the hostages. He said that Mrs. Dora Bloch, the 75-year-old missing hostage who is presumed to be dead, is a victim of international terrorism. He added that if the Ugandan authorities are in control of Uganda as they claim, they must know what happened to Mrs. Bloch.
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