Israel Stand Fails to Secure Support at Inter-parliamentary Parley

An attempt by Israel to delete the word “Arab” from a resolution on refugees before the Conference of the Inter -Parliamentary Union was defeated in a vote today. The balloting was 332 against the Israel amendment, 181 in favor and 52 abstentions, the latter including the entire British delegation.

The resolution as adopted, with only the Israel delegation opposed, included a clause reading: “This conference recommends that the United Nations give to the Arab refuges the consideration which the justice of their case calls for, and find a final solution to the problem by enforcing resolutions already taken by the United Nations; and until such a solution is found, to give adequate financial assistance.”

The reference to the United Nations was incorporated in committee on the initials of Emil Bustani of Lebanon. A second Israel amendment which would have deleted a large part of the resolution dealing with various aspects of the refugee problem was withdrawn.

The voting on the beaten amendment, which would have substituted the word ‘all for “Arab” found the Communist states, including Poland and Yugoslavia, joining with the Arab bloc and most Asian countries with the exception of Burma and the abstention Thailand lining up in opposition to Israel. Japan and Ceylon voted which the anti-Israel line-up.

With the exceptions of Italy, Finland and Spain which voted against Israel, most western European countries, except England which abstained–voted in support of the Israel amendment. The French delegation registered a split vote–10 for Israel and two against. The United States and Liberian delegations supported Israel.

An Israel amendment to a general economic resolution which called for opposition boycotts by one state against another was not put before the conference, the reporter of the committee considering it having explained that the committee felt the amendment was not appropriate to the general terms of the resolution.