Herzog Says Yugoslavia, Cuba Will Lead the Anti-israel, Anti-jewish Offensive at the General Assembl

Chaim Herzog, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, indicated today that Yugoslavia and Cuba are going to lead the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish offensive at the up-coming General Assembly. He made this observation in an address to the B’nai B’rith International Council, which opened here this weekend.

In his sharply worded and comprehensive analysis. Herzog also dealt with the decline of the UN, the Lebanese crisis, the Palestine Liberation Organization, the relations between Israel and South Africa, international terrorism and other major issues relating to Israel and the Jewish people.

“Over the past year (we have) been experiencing a major anti-Semitic attack against our people on the part of Yugoslavia, Cuba and others,” Herzog said. “The Yugoslavs have made some of the strongest possible attacks on our people on the United Nations front. On one issue in the Security Council, when only the Arabs and some Moslem countries attacked us, Yugoslavia insisted on coming to the fore and joining them in the attack.” Herzog referred to the Yugoslavian attack on Israel during the Security Council meeting over Israel’s rescue operation in Uganda.

JEWISH SILENCE AIDS ENEMIES

But the Israeli envoy said that in the face of this anti-Semitic offensive there is a “silence” or the part of world Jewry. “If there is one aspect of these deliberations which causes me concern it is the fact that Jewish communities throughout the world, while being vaguely aware of unpleasant developments in the United Nations, do not appreciate the fact that a major international anti-Semitic attack on the Jews is under way,” he declared. “The silence of the Jewish community is encouraging our enemies who feel they can get away with it.”

Citing the hostile attitude of Cuba against Israel and the Jewish people Herzog asked: “How can Jews here or elsewhere ignore the extreme hostile attitude of the Cubans to Israel and the Jewish people as reflected in the United Nations?” Charging that the United Nations is the “main center of anti-Semitism in the world” today, Herzog accused the UN of being in effect an obstacle to any peaceful solution in the Mideast. “The United Nations is gradually being turned by a small group of despots into the war-mongering center of the world,” Herzog declared.

He pointed an accusing finger at the UN General Assembly, stating: “The Assembly, by allowing itself to be dominated by a group of intransigent extremists, whose declared purpose is to fight against any move towards peace, is encouraging dissent instead of accord, intransigence instead of compromise….By allowing small groups of irresponsible extremists to dictate to the UN, the tragedy of the Mideast conflict is being prolonged.”

TRAGEDY OF LEBANON

With the UN ignoring entirely the tragedy in Lebanon, and instead being preoccupied with condemning Israel, the UN’s silence. Hersog said “is as shattering as is that of the Christian church’s which, gagged by expediency, contemplate in shameful silence as their flock is threatened with extinction.”

Herzog said that the Lebanese crisis shows that the main issue in the Mideast today is not the Israeli-Arab conflict. “True it is an issue of great importance. But the Lebanese situation has placed the whole problem of the Mideast in a new and more meaningful perspective.” Instead, Herzog continued, the major problem facing the world today is the torn, “disunited, working at cross purposes,” Arab world.

RAPS SUPINE ATTITUDE OF THE WEST

Addressing himself to issues facing the upcoming General Assembly, which convenes Sept. 21, Herzog said that the infamous resolution by last year’s Assembly equating Zionism with racism will be ignored this year by many countries. “The reason is that the African countries are aware that the Arab initiative in this matter spells doom for their Decade for Action Against Racism and Racial Discrimination,” Herzog explained.

Herzog was skeptical on any UN action against terrorism this year. “Indeed.” he said, “how can one not be skeptical when from the first of September the representative of Libya will occupy the Presidency of the Security Council” and the PLO has been proposed for observer status at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

During his long address, Herzog did not spare criticism of the Western members of the UN. “The fact that the Western countries who know the allegations (against Israel) to be untrue, abstain on major issues, is yet a further example of a tendency to cowardly and craven capitulations on the part of the West to expediency.” Herzog warned that this “lack of moral backbone on the part of the Western countries” portends great danger to the world.

“An ominous and fearsome process is overtaking the world and we are all silent. For how long?” Herzog asked, calling on the Jewish people “to stand up as a proud people which has given to the world the sublime principles and traditions which are being trampled underfoot in the United Nations today.”