Gideon Rafael, vice-chairman of the Israeli delegation to this year’s General Assembly, clashed with USSR Deputy Foreign Minister V. V. Kuznetsov in an exchange provoked by the latter yesterday in the Assembly’s Political and Security Committee.
Mr. Kurnetsov initiated the exchange during a debate on the implementation of a resolution adopted by the Assembly last year, enjoining all states not to “organize, assist, foment, finance, incite, or tolerate subversive, terrorist or armed activities directed toward the violent overthrow of the regime of another state, or interfere in civil strife in another state.”
In discussing proposals for implementing that clause, the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister told the 121-member committee: “This year has witnessed a growing number of actions of interference in the internal affairs of Arab states which are struggling for consolidation of their independence. The extremist circles of Israel, encouraged from abroad, are stating one provocation after another against Syria, Jordan and the United Arab Republic.”
Exercising Israel’s right of reply to that attack, Mr. Rafael reminded the committee that the Arabs, not Israel, has been violating last year’s resolution against interference as well as the U.N. Charter itself by their terrorist attacks against Israel. He denied Mr. Kuznetsov’s hint that other powers were goading Israel into anti-Arab attacks, and indicated that “by a show of impartiality” Moscow could assist the Arabs and Israel to reach an understanding.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
