Israel voted yesterday in favor of a resolution sponsored by 45 Afro-Asian countries, which reaffirmed the General Assembly’s insistence on “the inalienable right of the Angelan people to self-determination and independence” and called on Portugal to undertake reforms in Angola to transfer power to the Angolan people.
Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Assembly that Israel, in voting for the 45-power resolution, was not motivated by hostility toward Portugal but “by historical, moral and political factors in which we profoundly believe.” No nation, he said, has the right to rule over another, and Israel “whole-heartedly supports the liquidation of colonialism everywhere.”
The responsibility for ending further conflict in Angola, said Mr. Comay, rests “primarily” with Portugal. He called the colonial system “out of date” and “wrong.” If Portugal would recognize the “realities” of modern-day Africa, and take steps toward independence for Angola, he declared, there could be “fruitful cooperation” between the Angolans and Portuguese. Such an outcome of the struggle for independence in Angola, he said, would be “enlightened self-interest” for Portugal.
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.
