U.N. Envoy Finds Little to Support Arab Anti-israel ‘atrocity’ Charges

Nils-Goran Gussing, Secretary-General U Thant’s special representative on the welfare of Arab inhabitants, reported today to the General Assembly that he had found little evidence to support Arab charges of atrocities by Israeli troops. The 22nd session of the Assembly opened today.

Mr. Gussing was sent by the Secretary-General to the Arab states and Israel in conformity with a June 14 Security Council resolution calling on Israel to insure the safety, welfare and security of inhabitants of the occupied areas.

The report cited a memorandum the envoy received from Israeli authorities outlining Israel’s policies for the occupied areas as seeking speedy restoration of normal civilian life, continued functioning of existing local Arab authorities, return of west bank residents who fled during the war, cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the International Red Cross and other welfare organizations operating in the areas, study of the possibilities of solving the Arab refugee problem and “buttressing the economic fabric of the towns and the countryside.”

REPORTS ‘EXCELLENT COOPERATION’ BUT COMPLAINS OF ISRAELI SUPERVISION

In his survey of the situation, Mr. Gussing reported, he spent from July 11 to September 1 visiting every area relevant to his study, including the capitals of Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, and the areas occupied by Israel consequent to the war. He said he had received “excellent cooperation at all levels” in the countries he visited, and the facilities, including transport, required. He implied his dissatisfaction, however, over the fact that, in the areas occupied by Israel, he could talk to displaced persons, civilians and prisoners of war only in the company of representatives of the Israel Government. “Particularly in the occupied areas,” he reported, “it would have been of great psychological importance and would have provided for franker exchanges for the Special Representative and for the people to whom he spoke if he had the opportunity to meet and talk without witnesses to whomever he wished. This view was conveyed to Israel Government representatives, but without result.”

In area after area, the report showed, the atrocity charges made by the Arabs against Israel proved without foundation. Here and there, Mr. Gussing noted, as in Syria, the government concerned had deliberately frightened people into leaving their home areas. In some cases, some local Israeli commanders, he reported, may have contributed to the uneasiness of the Arab inhabitants. But charges that Israel demolished villages were not borne out by the facts, except in instances where destruction was the result of military activity during the war.

FOUND NO PROOF THAT ISRAELIS FORCED WEST BANK INHABITANTS TO FLEE

The report went into details of population movements in all the areas visited by Mr. Gussing. But he pointed out that, for instance in the Jordan River area, there were no specific data about Israel forcing Arabs to cross over into the Jordanian-held east bank region. On the other hand, he reported that Arabs were told by Israeli loudspeakers mounted on automobiles “that they might be better off on the east bank.” Jordanian charges of Israeli looting were discounted largely by the report.

In concluding his lengthy report, Mr. Gussing stated that he found the June war had resulted in “sufferings” and a “tragic” situation for the peoples involved. The people, he stated, had undergone “grave hardships.” Mr. Thant told the Assembly, in presenting the report:

“It would be doubly tragic if the victims of the war should continue to be victims of the animosities and tensions of the parties to the conflict and if efforts to alleviate their sufferings were rendered ineffective by any spirit of retaliation or vindictiveness. It is clear from the report that the governments concerned have themselves exerted efforts to help the people affected by the war. I very much hope that, pending some more basic settlement, these efforts can go forward and be increased. UNRWA’s efforts also now have become more indispensable than ever.”

Mr. Thant noted that a special report would be given to the Assembly by Laurence Michelmore, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA. The latter is the U.N. organization that has been providing food, shelter and some educational services to the Arab refugees since 1950.