Israel’s impact upon the United Nations General Assembly this year was far greater than the size of the Jewish State might indicate, members of the Israel delegation to the U.N. told correspondents here today. Evaluating the results of the General Assembly which adjourned its session last week, the Israel delegates said:
1. Israel gained an important direct victory when the Assembly voted to extend until 1960 the life of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
2. Israel benefited directly, yet less obviously, from explosion of the myth that there was a solid bloc in the United Nations composed of states belonging to the Arab League, Asian nations, and Latin American republics.
3. Israel’s prestige was enhanced, and its influence increased, by selection of the Jewish State and members of its delegation for representation on a number of important commissions and committees continuing the Assembly’s work beyond its sessions.
4. Israel’s influence behind the scenes was felt and, at times, solicited by many delegations here, including some representing the Big Powers.
The survey of Israel’s position was given the correspondents principally by Mordecai R. Kidron, Permanent Deputy Representative to the U.N., who was assisted by Arthur C. Liveran, First Secretary of the Israel delegation, and Mrs. Zena Harman, who represented Israel during the Assembly on the very important Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee. Mr. Liveran served on the Budget and Administrative Committee during the Assembly session, and was that committee’s rapporteur.
An indication of Israel’s prestige in the UN was seen in the fact that this small country is a member, and has again been designated to membership on the Assembly’s “peace watchdog” group, the Peace Observation Commission. Mrs. Harman, since 1951 a member of the executive committee of the United Children’s Fund, was elected to the second highest post in UNICEF, the job of chairman of the all-important Program Committee which decides what UNICEF shall do, where, and at what cost. Mr. Liveran was named to a committee to consider review of procedures of the UN’s administrative tribunal. Dr. Jacob Robinson was selected to membership on a commission that will attempt to find a definition of the term “aggression.” Eban, with Kidron as alternate, is a member of the “peace watchdog” commission.
“All in all,” Israel delegates pointed out, “Israel came out of this year’s assembly with considerable advantage. The Arab bloc, on the other hand, has had its feathers ruffled, and found some of those feathers missing.”
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