Israel Under Fire at UN Conference

The Soviet Union yesterday sharply attacked Zionism and Israel at the World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. The Soviet delegate declared that an explosive situation exists in the Middle East “because of the policies of Israel and its supporters which have denied the right of the people of Palestine to establish their own national state and have set up a regime of discrimination and oppression against the Arab population in the occupied territories.” The Soviet delegate also linked Zionism with racist and pro-fascist organizations which “are active in the United States.”

Israel’s policies in the occupied territories were also assailed by the delegate of Sri Lanka, who expressed concern about the “systematic violation of the human rights of the Arabs in the territories.” He accused Israel of mess deportation of Arab inhabitants of the territories, the denial by Israel of their right to return to their homes and of confiscating Arab property. He said these measures aim to change the demographic composition of the territories.

Another attack against Israel was launched during today’s debate at the conference by the Foreign Minister of Cuba, Isodoro Malmierca Peoli. He noted that Israel and the United States are boycotting the Conference “together with the representatives of apartheid regimes” and called on the Conference to express its support of the Palestinian people, whose territories, he said, are occupied by Israel.

Observers here said that despite such attacks on Israel the Africans at the conference are determined to avoid an anti-Israel resolution, knowing that such a resolution would not be supported by the West European countries and would divert attention from the issue of racism in Africa.