Testimony Given UN Rights Hearing in Beirut is ‘horror Fiction,’ Israelis Say

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said today that allegations of Israeli mistreatment of Arab civilians and prisoners in the occupied territories was “horror fiction” that is contradicted in every detail by the facts known to thousands of tourists, journalists and photographers who visit those areas.

The spokesman referred to testimony given in Beirut this week before a human rights committee established by the United Nations Human Rights Commission to investigate the treatment of Arab civilians in Israel occupied territory. He said the picture drawn by the “witnesses” was “a gross example of the cynical way the Arabs are using an international organization for their propaganda purposes.” Among those who have appeared before the committee so far are a Lebanese professor of international law, a Palestinian student leader and the American wife of a Lebanese doctor. They alleged that Israeli authorities applied many methods of severe torture to Arab prisoners suspected of aiding guerrillas, that Israelis committed the “wilful murder” of Arabs, looted or destroyed property and evicted scores of Arabs.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman said those stories were of a kind with Arab announcements of “imaginary” military victories. He said Arab life in the occupied territories was “an open book.” and that tourists, journalists and photographers have free access to the local population and know the truth which is at complete variance with “the theatrical affair in Beirut.” The spokesman cited a letter Israeli authorities received from Amnesty International stating that they are “fully convinced that there is no mistreatment of prisoners under your (Israeli) administration.” Amnesty International is a private organization that intervenes on behalf of political prisoners.