Israeli diplomats in key world capitals and at the United Nations continued today to labor strenuously on behalf of two Latin American draft resolutions introduced Friday in the General Assembly as alternatives to an Egyptian-inspired 18-power draft calling on Israel to commit itself to withdrawal from occupied Arab territories as a condition for the resumption of peace negotiations under UN mediator Gunnar V. Jarring. The two drafts, one submitted by Barbados and the other jointly by Costa Rica and Uruguay, are expected to come up for a vote late tomorrow afternoon.
Israel’s lobbying efforts were said to include personal messages from Premier Golda Meir, currently visiting the US, to at least two African presidents–Leopold Senghor of Senegal and Felix Houphouet Boigny of the Ivory Coast, urging their support for the Latin American drafts, it was reported here today. Both drafts comply closely to the recommendations of the Organization for African Unity that the Jarring talks be resumed without prior conditions.
The 18-nation draft, sponsored by 15 African and Asian countries along with Spain, Yugoslavia and Cyprus, was circulated Thursday though not formally introduced. Egypt has expressed satisfaction that it represents a vindication of its position. The Israeli delegation at the UN denounced it as an “extreme one-sided draft” that Egypt and the sponsors “knew in advance Israel cannot accept.” A key element in the resolution is Ambassador Jarring’s memo of Feb. 8 asking Israel for a commitment on withdrawal. The Baradan and Costa Rica-Uruguay drafts do not mention the Feb. 8 memo.
DEFEAT OF 18-NATION DRAFT REMOTE
Sources here said today that Israel acknowledges that it stands only a small chance of defeating the Egyptian-inspired resolution which will probably get majority backing in the General Assembly. The Afro-Asian bloc is expected to vote for it while most West European countries are expected to abstain rather than vote against it as a sign of their disapproval.
Moreover, sources here said, the Barbadan and Costa Rica-Uruguay resolutions face a formidable obstacle in the attitude of Dr. Jarring himself. In his most recent conversation with world statesmen, the UN mediator reportedly expressed the belief that without a commitment by Israel to withdraw to the pre-June, 1967 boundaries, his mission cannot continue.
Israel appears to have written off its chances in the General Assembly. Its policy since the Middle East debate began ten days ago has been to reduce damage to a minimum rather than gain any of its objectives. In that sense it has achieved a modest success. The draft motion before the Assembly does not mention sanctions against Israel should it refuse to comply. Israel’s refusal to offer Dr. Jarring a prior commitment on withdrawal is seen as a foregone conclusion.
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.
