PLO Takes a Seat at U.n.; Draws U.s., Israeli Criticism

The U.N. Security Council, by allowing the Palestine Liberation Organization to intervene freely in its proceedings, has “belittled its own potential role” in resolving the Middle East conflict, an Israeli official said here Thursday.

Barukh Binah, a spokesman for the Israel Consulate General in New York, was referring to the PLO’s participation in the Security Council debate Wednesday night on the downing of two Libyan jets by U.S. Navy fighter planes over the.

The Security Council “shot itself in the foot,” Binah told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

His remark matched the sentiments of Herbert Okun, U.S. representative to the United Nations, who said earlier, “I think the Security Council inflicted a wound on itself.”

Okun spoke after the council voted 11-1, with three abstentions, to allow what is now known as the Palestine Observer Mission to the United Nations to take part in the debate.

In its previous incarnation as the PLO Mission, the Palestinian observer was only allowed to address the council through the sponsorship of a U.N. member state, usually Arab.

But that changed when the U.N. General Assembly, meeting in Geneva last month, gave what amounted to de facto recognition of the independent Palestinian state proclaimed by PLO chief Yasir Arafat in Algiers Nov. 15.

As the Palestine Observer Mission, the PLO may address the General Assembly at its own request and circulate documents under its own imprimatur, the U.N. spokesman’s office in New York explained to JTA.

Nevertheless, the United States challenged the PLO’s request to speak at the Libyan debate, and cast the sole negative vote. Britain, France and Canada abstained.

Alternate PLO observer Nasser al-Kidwa mounted the podium to denounce the U.S. action.

The final resolution, deploring the downing of the Libyan planes, was vetoed by the United States, Britain and France.