Israel’s Parliament rejected tonight by an overwhelming majority the Security Council resolution censuring Israel for its raid on Syrian gun positions in the Lake Tiberias area last month.
The Knesset described the resolution, which was approved yesterday by all Security Council member nations–except France, which abstained–as biased, one which disregarded Syrian provocations and as a “distortion of justice” which would encourage aggression and endanger the peace of the area. Only the Communists voted against the rejection.
The unprecedented criticism followed a three-hour debate which was opened by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion who asserted that the resolution violated a principle of the United Nations Charter itself. He referred to Article II embodying the principle of the sovereign equality of all member nations.
The Prime Minister told the House that the resolution was phrased in a manner insulting to Israel, and that it ignored the truth about the events of the past few weeks–perhaps to meet with the approval of the United Arab Republic and to insure that country would vote for it.
“Israel regards such resolutions and the denial of the sovereign equality of all member states as gravely endangering the basic aim for which the United Nations was established and that of all the small nations which belong to it whose honor and vital interests will be sacrificed to the needs of the cold war, ” he said.
BEN-GURION CHARGES THE UNITED NATIONS WITH ‘DOUBLE STANDARD’
The Prime Minister warned that Israel could not, “under any circumstances, submit to Syrian violations of sovereignty on Lake Tiberias or to Syrian army attacks on Israeli fishermen or patrol boats on the Lake which is entirely in Israel’s sovereign territory. ” He added that Israel also would not permit “under any circumstances, any sabotage of its vital irrigation plans connected with the Lake.”
“Lake Tiberias is an inalienable part of the area of the State of Israel and any encroachment of this sovereignty is an attack on the very life of Israel,” he continued.
He recalled the broadcast of then President Eisenhower after the 1956 Sinai campaign, in which General Eisenhower stressed the obligation of the United Nations to make a greater effort than in the past to ensure justice. The Prime Minister contended that President Eiswnhower “was hinting that a double standard was in force at the United Nations in consideration of disputes between Israel and its neighbors.”
“Regretfully, it cannot be said that the double standard has been abandoned.” Mr. Ben-Gurion said. This, he pointed out, was clearly indicated not only in the speeches of the Soviet representative at the Security Council debate but also in those of the United States.
The Prime Minister remarked sharply that the armistice agreements between Israel and the neighboring countries were bilateral agreements and not binding only on Israel. He added that Israel “has not played any part and will not play any part in the cold war and its tactics nor will Israel submit to the double standard followed by the Security Council throughout the years in its deliberations on disputes between Israel and its neighbors. “
SAYS U. S. DRAFTED ITS RESOLUTION WITH AN EYE ON EGYPT
He reaffirmed that Israel would exercise its right of self-defense as long as the Security Council failed to take appropriate measures to maintain international peace and security.
He said that the United States drafted the original resolution with the goal of getting the support of the United Arab Republic and that Syria did not fear any Security Council censure because it could rely on the veto of one of the five permanent members, a reference to the Soviet Union.
The Prime Minister cited the pronouncements of Syrian leaders that Israel “must be wiped out” and then noted United Nations inactivity in seeing to it that the Arab states abide by the First Article of the UN Charter and the main proviso of the armistice agreements–to restore peace.
Repeating his assertion that the Security Council resolution was based on a double standard and was an encouragement to the Arabs–“even if it was not so meant by its drafters”–the Prime Minister said it was appeasement of Syrian aggression. He expressed “profound appreciation” for France’s abstention from voting for “this dubious resolution” and reiterated that Israel would defend itself with all means at its disposal if any of its neighbors should violate the armistice agreements.
He said Israel would abstain from any violations and comply strictly with the terms of the armistice agreements but would on no account waive its right of self-defense which is reserved to every nation and safeguarded by the UN Charter.
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