Chaim Herzog, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, today urged the “heads of friendly missions” to the UN who are members of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to refuse “to participate in any conference on racism which would introduce the issue of Zionism.”
In a letter to the heads of those missions that had rejected the 1975 General Assembly resolution equating Zionism with racism, Herzog warned that the possibility exists once more that the Arab states and their allies will attempt again to inject the issue of Zionism into the deliberations of ECOSOC when it discusses the program for the Decade To Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. The 54-nation body is currently in session here.
The Israeli envoy noted that the Arab intent to raise the issue of Zionism is reflected in several recommendations included in the report of the Preparatory Subcommittee for the ECOSOC Conference. He pointed out that the recommendations of the subcommittee call for “the full and universal implementation of UN decisions and resolutions on racism (and) racial discrimination….”
The recommendations also refer to the Baghdad Symposium on Zionism last year and called for the compilation of documents by the Secretariat, a move which, Herzog contended, “would include the resolution on Zionism and thus make it possible to raise the issue at the conference.”
NOTES BIZARRE INCLUSION
Herzog also pointed out in his letter that the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People was invited to participate in the conference. “This inclusion is particularly bizarre since that committee has no relevant connection with the aims of the world conference unless it is decided to drag the Zionist issue into the deliberations,” Herzog wrote.
He added that it is clear that the Soviet Union and the Arab states will interpret the recommendations of the subcommittee “as an open invitation to raise the question of Zionism at the conference.” Herzog’s letter concluded:
“In the light of your consistent and forthright stand on this matter, I would ask that your delegation again make its position on the world conference very clear during the current deliberations in order to eliminate any misunderstanding on the part of those who intend to use the conference for their own insidious purposes.
“It is thus our hope that you will affirm your continued refusal to participate in any conference on racism which would introduce the issue of Zionism. Furthermore, in order to drive home your position on this matter, I would also request that your delegation vote against any action on the subcommittee’s report so long as it contained any of the four elements mentioned above.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
