Socialist Resolution on Israel More Moderate Than Was Expected

The Socialist International’s Council adopted a resolution on the Middle East conflict Thursday, considerably more moderate and even-handed than the Israeli delegates had expected.

The draft approved at the close of the council’s week-long meeting here represented a compromise worked out at a four-hour session of the Middle East Committee Wednesday night.

Original drafts that contained tough language on Israel were rejected, surprisingly, by Socialist delegations that had previously approved them, according to Israel Gat, head of the Israeli Labor Party’s delegation to the meeting.

The campaign for tough language against Israel had been led by Bettino Craxi, leader of the Italian Socialist Party and a former prime minister of Italy, and the Spanish vice premier, Alfonso Guerra.

Guerra said Wednesday that the Spanish Socialist Party would accept nothing short of outright condemnation of Israel for its policies in the occupied territories, a call for Israel’s total withdrawal from them and recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

But Guerra was repudiated inasmuch as the Spanish representatives on the Middle East Committee had already agreed to the moderate language.

Gat said the Israelis were particularly pleased that the resolution called on the PLO to eliminate the destruction of Israel from the list of aims in its national covenant.

The resolution, however, accepts the principle that the Palestinians be able to elect their own representatives; supports an international peace conference; and says Israel should assume its responsibilities as an occupying power.