Israel Charges Syria at U.N. Council with Committing an “act of War”

Israel Ambassador Abba Eban today told the United Nations Security Council that the Israel Government considers the bombardment last week of Israel villages by Syrian artillery as “an act of war.” He emphasized that a repetition of military attacks by Syrians would lead to “drastic and exhaustive” retaliation.

However, Mr. Eban pleaded with the Security Council to help avoid such a step. “The Government of Israel,” he said, “is ardently anxious to avoid this contingency, if it can.” He spoke at the opening meeting of the urgent session of the Security Council convoked to deal with Israel’s complaint against Syria’s aggression in attacking Israel villages in the Huleh area, pouring some 800 artillery shells into them.

Revealing that during the attacks one UN observer was injured by Syrian fire–in addition to one Israeli being killed and three others wounded–Mr. Eban told the Security Council that the monetary damage to the bombarded villages is estimated at one million Israeli pounds. He pointed out that on all borders, except that dividing Israel from the Syrian region of the United Arab Republic, tranquility has prevailed for about two years.

“The prolonged maintenance of quiet during 1957 and 1958 had proved conclusively that if Arab governments decide as a matter of policy to let Israel live in peace, there will be peaceful conditions on the Arab-Israel frontiers,” Mr. Eban declared. “The Government of the United Arab Republic has full capacity–if it also has the will–to prevent the recurrence of situations such as that which Israel now brings to the Security Council.”

U.N. COUNCIL GETS PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF SHELLED ISRAELI VILLAGES

Mr. Eban related factually the events that occurred last week. To back up his report of extensive damage, he furnished to members of the Security Council photographs taken after the Syrian attack on the Israeli villages. He pointed out that the geography of the area favors the Syrians, whose gun posts on heights overlook the Israeli settlements in the valley. Then he continued:

“While I have described the advantages which topography bestows upon Syrian forces, I do not mean to indicate that it was beyond Israel’s capacity, in the exercise of her inherent right of self-defense, to silence Syrian artillery attack. But because of the special conditions of terrain which I have described, military measures of self-defense against attacking Syrian artillery would require a response more drastic and exhaustive than the easy assault which the Syrian forces organize from their points of geographical advantage. The Government of Israel is ardently anxious to avoid this contingency if it can.

“We have therefore buried our dead, tended our wounded, begun the reconstruction of our shattered farms and homesteads and have turned to the Security Council for peaceful redress, and still more for vigorous deterrence.”

The Israeli diplomat mentioned the UN Charter’s recognition of a state’s need to defend its territory. This was interpreted by all at the Security Council table as an obvious reference to Article 51 of the United Nations. That clause permits a country to defend itself under certain circumstances. Mr. Eban was understood to be pleading with the Council to warn the UAR against further aggression and make it unnecessary for Israel to invoke Article 51. He quoted the Cairo Radio to show that the UAR is not only boasting of last week’s attack but is voicing further threats that “not only border settlements but all Israel’s inhabitants will be hurt.”

SECURITY COUNCIL ADJOURNS; NO DATE SET FOR NEW MEETING

After Mr. Eban presented Israel’s case, Dr. Omar Loutfi, chairman of the United Arab Republic delegation, delivered a long speech, most of which was a recital of alleged former aggressions against Egypt and Syria presumably committed by Israel. Telling the Council that Israel “threatens reprisals,” Dr. Loutfi stated: “The UAR does not fear reprisals and is prepared to reject aggressions.”

Mr. Eban then took the floor again, pointing out to the Council that “not once in the long address of the representative of the United Arab Republic was a denial made of the fact that hundreds of shells were fired into Israeli villages.” Mr. Eban branded the Loutfi speech as “devoid of relevance, truth or intentions of peace.” He cited numerous instances from the UNTSO report to show that Israel’s complaint was fully justified by UN observers.

Gunnar Jarring, Swedish president of the Security Council, then adjourned the meeting subject to recall by the chair.