Thant Singles out Israel As Ruthlessly Endangering Air Travelers

Secretary General U Thant reaffirmed today his abhorrence of the “savage and inhuman” acts of the terrorist hijackers but singled out Israel as “an earlier case” exemplifying the increasing incidents “involving innocent international air travellers whose safety and lives are being ruthlessly endangered.” The case, Mr. Thant told a press conference at United Nations headquarters, involved the detention of two high Algerian officials by Israel. Newsmen, surprised that he identified only Israel without once mentioning Egypt, Jordan or Lebanon which aided and abetted the hijackers who captured three planes within the past few days, pressed Mr. Thant to explain why only Israel came under his scrutiny. The Secretary General replied that he was not singling out Israel but merely stating publicly for the first time, the various steps he has taken to try to obtain the release of the two Algerian nationals. It seemed apparent, however, that Mr. Thant was implying that Israel’s action might have led, however indirectly, to the hijacking incidents during the past few days. A similar view was expressed Monday night by the vice-president of the French Airline Pilots’ Association who claimed that Israel’s seizure last month of the two Algerians from a BOAC airliner at Lydda Airport was responsible for the current wave of hijackings.

Mr. Thant devoted a third of his prepared remarks to the efforts he made to have the Algerians released including his intention, which he communicated to the Charge d’Affaires of the Israeli Mission to the UN, “to send a high-level representative to Israel for the purpose of discussing with the appropriate Israeli authorities the question of the detention of the two Algerian citizens.” He added that “as of this moment, I have received no reply to my appeal” for the release of the Algerians “nor any reaction to the sending of a high-level representative to Israel.” A spokesman for the Israeli Mission denied Mr. Thant’s allegation and said that Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah apprised Mr. Thant yesterday of Israel’s position on the two Algerians and the hijacking incidents this week. (See separate story) At the outset of his press conference, Mr. Thant said he would make a few comments on the developments in the Middle East but asked newsmen “not to press questions” about this subject. The reason for this “unaccustomed restrictiveness,” he said, was the “complicated and delicate” situation. In his overriding concern to further the cause of peace in the Middle East, Mr. Thant said he was “not willing at this critical juncture to take any risk of saying anything which can be construed as obstructing peace.”

In his prepared statement, the Secretary General said the current Mideast peace effort “has now had a severe setback even before it really got under way.” Nevertheless, he added that he was not “yet prepared to say that it is beyond salvage.” Ambassador Gunnar V. Jarring, the Mideast peace mediator, continues to be “fully available to all parties,” Mr. Thant said. Expressing gratification that the cease-fire in the Suez Canal zone “is being observed scrupulously,” he noted that the standstill arrangements (which have been violated) involves neither Dr. Jarring nor the UN “but the United States and the two parties (Israel and Egypt) involved. It bears emphasis that this is an area in which the United Nations has no responsibility because none has been given to it.” Mr. Thant said his immediate concentration will be on “getting the Jarring effort back on the tracks” in the conviction both officials share that this is “the one chance for a breakthrough to peace in the Middle East.” Mr. Thant also stated, in reply to questions, that the international community is extremely anxious to put an end to the “criminal acts” of hijackings and that the matter would be discussed at the next session of the General Assembly which opens next Tuesday. Meanwhile, he added, he has been in touch with the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO), with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and with the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association (IFALPA) regarding the two Algerian officials and that he would continue to press for their release. Mr. Thant also observed that the “peace-keeping capabilities of the United Nations should receive top priority at the General Assembly.”