Tekoah Scores Security Council’s Condemnation of Israel As One-sided, Syrian Inspired

Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah scored the Security Council’s condemnation of Israel last night by declaring that the Zambian resolution extends a UN “double standard” that represents “another nail in the coffin of the Security Council’s ability to deal with the Middle East situation equitably, realistically and constructively.” He called the resolution–which passed by an 11-0 vote, with four abstentions–a “one-sided, Syrian-Inspired text” that “fails to mention” Lebanese “aggression” and the Arabs’ “open war against Israel.” He described it as “clearly another of the seasonal ceremonies from which Israel, the merits of its case, its fundamental rights are in effect barred.” (In Jerusalem, a Foreign Ministry spokesman described the Security Council’s censure of Israel yesterday for its May 12-13 incursion into Lebanon as “another stage in the Security Council’s decline.” The spokesman said the most disappointing aspect of the whole episode was Britain’s vote for the resolution which completely ignored the terrorist attacks on Israeli border settlements from Lebanese territory that preceded the raid.) Mr. Tekoah, addressing the Council after last night’s vote, asserted that Israel would not allow “injustice and abuse to affect us,” and would continue to defend itself against Arab “armed attack” while respecting the cease-fire. Israel has maintained that its May 12 foray into Lebanon was an “inevitable” defensive measure limited to terrorist bases and avoiding civilian areas and Lebanese defenses. The Security Council has now slapped Israel eight times for cease-fire “violations” since the Six-Day War, in addition to the resolution adopted last Tuesday calling on it to withdraw immediately from Lebanon. The Council has not passed any resolutions condemning Arab aggression in the 22 years since Israel’s establishment.

The originally drafted Syrian resolution, calling for sanctions against Israel and an embargo on Israel-bound military and civilian aid, was reduced to the softer Zambian resolution largely because Britain and Finland refused to accept those passages. (Both countries voted for the Zambian motion.) With the Syrian draft unfeasible, Lebanon was willing to accept the Zambian version as long as it did not criticize Arab military tactics. Prior to yesterday’s vote, Moroccan Ambassador Ahmed Taibi Benhima warned that the selling of more jets to Israel by the United States could “seriously alter” Arab-U.S. relations. He did not elaborate, but it was assumed he was threatening curtailment of American oil ties with Arab lands, as did Syria last week. But Mr. Benhima had kind words for U.S. Ambassador Charles W. Yost’s May 14 Council plea for mutual respect for the cease-fire. In his remarks then, Mr. Yost for the first time recommended the inclusion of the Palestinian Arabs as a party to a “just settlement” in the Mideast. The thrust of that speech, however, was that the Arabs, especially Syria, were largely responsible for Mideast tensions, and that Israel was being forced to defend itself. The U.S. Mission declined comment on the implications of Mr. Yost’s reference to the Palestinians.