Israel Seeing Some Strong Signs It May Be Admitted to U.N. Panel

Israel got some encouraging signals here last week that it may be elected to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, to which it has long sought admission.

ECOSOC, as the panel is popularly known, promotes world cooperation on economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems. Its 54 members are elected for three-year terms by region. Eighteen are elected each year.

Israel passed the first hurdle toward its goal, which was to be accepted into the European region.

The Economic Commission for Europe, the Brussels-based body of the European Community which administers E.C. accords, stated in a draft resolution last week that it looked forward to a favorable decision on Israel’s application by ECOSOC.

Itzchak Lior, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the expected resolution culminates a five-year struggle.

Until now, he explained, only Israel and South Africa did not belong to a regional group. Geographically, Israel should be part of the South Asian region, but that group is headquartered in Baghdad, and the possibilities of Israel’s being invited to join that group are slight.

Lior said Israel was accepted into the European region with the support of the 12-member E.C. and the Eastern European states, including the Soviet Union. Turkey and Albania added their support at the last minute.

ECOSOC’s first agenda item at this time is the subject of the reconstruction of Eastern Europe.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was in London to attend the inauguration of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, of which Israel is a member. The bank’s purpose is likewise the economic development of Eastern Europe.