There was no immediate official government reaction to the United Nations Security Council’s resolution condemning Israel for intercepting a Lebanese airliner liner-last Friday. But government officials privately expressed anger at the resolution adopted yesterday unanimously by the 15-member Council, which they said distorted the rules of justice by falling to cite the atrocities of Arab terrorist organizations and the Arab states which give aid and shelter to the terrorists. “It is typical of what happens at the United Nations and within the Security Council,” officials declared.
Communications Minister Shimon Peres sent a cable to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) today which said that Israel had acted in self-defense in an attempt to stamp out international terrorism against civil aircraft.
RIGHT TO EXIST AND DEFENSE
In a speech before the Council vote was taken, Gen. David Elazar, Chief of Staff, said Israel had no way to get at terrorists according to the principles of international law. “But we have the right to exist and defend ourselves,” he said. “In the name of these rights,” Elazar continued, “and of the moral force that grows out of them we have raided the terrorists’ bases, penetrated their command posts and struck at their leaders. Those who continue to murder and to devote themselves to the destruction of Israel will yet feel our hands upon them.”
Elazar was speaking at a celebration marking the 25th anniversary of the minorities unit of the Israeli Defense Forces. He said since the international community had not done anything to stop terrorism, the burden has fallen on Israel alone.
Israeli newspapers said today that Israel cannot accept the Council ruling and called for a continuing war against terrorism. Davar, the Histadrut paper, said, “The condemnation of Israel’s counter-action will not change the decision to continue to attack Arab terrorists at every opportunity wherever they can be reached.” Yediot Aharonot, attacking the U.S. for its vote, commented: “We saw how America reacted when Cuba set up missile batteries aimed at Washington. If they (the U. S.) then demand for us to abstain from hitting the terrorist organizations in Beirut, to conform with international law, we know how to take this.”
Meanwhile, one of the 55 persons who was injured during the Arab terrorist attack in the Athens Airport died in an Athens hospital, bringing the number of persons killed to four. The latest casualty was Laura Haack, 16, of New Berlin, Wisconsin.
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