Israel Envoy Offers Peace to Arabs at U. N. Security Council Meeting

The hand of peace was offered to the Arab states today by Abba Eban, head of the Israel delegation to the United Nations, addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council at which was discussed the British resolution aimed at strengthening the recent cease-fire achievements along the Arab-Israel frontiers by UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. The discussion will continue tomorrow.

Mr. Eban urged the Arabs to join Israel in a “journey toward peace.” He said that although Israel seeks to strengthen its defenses in order to prevent aggression, the Government of Israel wants peace with its Arab neighbors, and believes that if all the countries in the area unite their efforts the Middle East can prosper and develop. He pointed to Premier Ben Gurion’s recent statement of readiness to meet with any head of the Arab states at any time and in any place to talk peace.

Emphasizing that Israel had extended cooperation to Mr. Hammarskjold during his recent “peace mission” in the Middle East, Ambassador Eban told the Council that although Israel has some reservations with regard to certain parts of Mr. Hammarskjold’s report, it nevertheless associates itself with the expression of appreciation of Mr. Hammarskjold’s achievements contained in the British resolution. He called for consolidation of the gains achieved by Mr. Hammarskjold and announced that Israel will continue to cooperate with the UN Secretary General in his efforts to strengthen his cease fire achievements on the Arab-Israel frontiers and to pave the way for further Arab-Israel agreement.

Referring to the British recommendations for “full compliance” with the armistice agreements by Israel and the Arab states. Mr. Eban said that such “full compliance” naturally means the abolition of belligerent practices on land and sea as provided by a number of United Nations resolutions. Mr. Eban took issue with Ahmed Shukairy, of Syria, who preceded him at today’s meeting of the Security Council. He stressed that Israel could no accept Mr. Shukairy’s views with regard to the development of the Jordan waters.

Although there is no open warfare in the Middle East, Mr. Eban said, the atmosphere is one of “tense, brooding turbulence” fraught with “great menace.” He pointed out that the destruction of Israel was a matter of public discussion and policy in Arab states, that the Arab states were re-arming to an extent and with armaments never before seen in the Middle East. This means, Mr. Eban stressed, that the “greater part of the journey toward peace” must still be traversed. He asked for positive action now by the Security Council, pointing out that once it dispersed, there was no telling when it would again take the opportunity of dealing with the Arab-Israel conflict which was still in a dangerous state.

ARABS OPPOSE BRITISH RESOLUTION; SOVIET URGES CHANGES IN TEXT

Opposition to the British resolution was expressed at the Security Council meeting by the representatives of Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. Especially sharp in his opposition was the Syrian delegate Ahmed Shukairy who characterized the resolution as “evil” and delivered one of the most virulent attacks against a great power ever voiced here by a representative of a smaller nation.

The Syrian delegate “condemned” the resolution and said that Palestine was “part and parcel of the Arab homeland,” The Arab world, he said, will not subject itself to the acceptance of Israel. The representatives of Jordan and Lebanon spoke in similar vein, but the representative of Egypt took a somewhat milder tone.

Soviet delegate Arkady Sobolev appealed to the Arabs and Israel to “refrain from (armistice) violations, and maintain and strengthen the peace.” The Soviet Government, he said, “is prepared to afford support to the United Nations to that end, taking account of the will of the parties concerned and without interference in their internal affairs.”

Mr. Sobolev said that further efforts to maintain and strengthen the peace in the Middle East “should be preceded by consultations with the Arab countries and Israel and with those members of the Council who have the major responsibility” for peace in the Middle East. He said that “unfortunately” the parties and all of the powers concerned–obviously meaning the USSR–had not been consulted before the British resolution was presented. He expressed the hope that Britain as a sponsor of the resolution would make some changes especially those sought by Egypt and Iran in order that the resolution may be adopted unanimously.