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U.N. Security Council Sets Deadline for Cease-fire; Only Jordan Accepts

June 8, 1967
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The United Nations Security Council adopted unanimously today a Soviet resolution setting a deadline for compliance with an earlier resolution calling for a cease fire by Israel and the Arab states as the Arab-Israel war went into its third day. The first cease-fire resolution was adopted unanimously last night. Jordan accepted the cease-fire call early today but no similar acceptances were received today from Egypt, Syria and the other Arab countries involved in the fighting.

Foreign Minister Abba Eban, noting that Israel responded immediately last night with a statement welcoming the cease-fire resolution, told the Council today, after it approved the Soviet resolution, that Israel could not accept Jordan’s agreement to a cease-fire because Jordan’s troops were under a joint command directed by an Egyptian general. “Jordan has accepted the cease-fire.” Mr. Eban declared, “but under conditions in which it is not the master of Egyptian troops in its territory.”

Mr. Eban proposed that adoption of the cease-fire resolution “should be communicated to all the governments whose soldiers are involved in the fighting. The list of governments to be notified should be enlarged.”

The Soviet resolution placed a 4 P.M. (New York DST) limit for compliance. After more parliamentary maneuvering, involving a Canadian addition to the resolution, the Council adjourned to await word on compliance with the cease-fire deadline. The Canadian resolution would “request the president of the Security Council, with the assistance of the Secretary-General, to take necessary measures to bring about full and effective compliance” with the two cease-fire resolutions.

Mohamed El-Kony, the Egyptian Ambassador to the U.N. addressed the Council today. He repeated charges he and other Arab spokesmen had made previously that there had been “collusion” between the United States, Britain and Israel, “with the two big powers furnishing an air umbrella” for Israel. Arthur J. Goldberg, the United States Ambassador, and Lord Caradon, the British Envoy, severely rebuked Syrian Ambassador George Tomeh during Council debate last night for making that charge. Mr. Goldberg said the charge was “without foundation.” Lord Caradon bluntly called it “a lie.”

EBAN SAYS EGYPT IS REALLY IN COMMAND OF TROOPS IN JORDAN

The Egyptian envoy made no mention today of any Egyptian response to the cease-fire appeal and Mr. Eban, who took the floor after the Egyptian representative spoke, stressed that fact. Mr. Eban said that “Jordan’s acceptance is not paralleled by Egyptian acceptance, yet it is the United Arab Republic that is now in command of the troops in Jordan.”

Mr. Eban informed the Council also that, after the cease-fire resolution was approved last night, “an Egyptian commando unit stationed in Jordan attacked the road between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.” He added that many Israelis “were killed in that attack and we captured an Egyptian officer in command of the Egyptian unit.”

“The UAR’s acceptance of the cease-fire is crucial regarding not only the south, but also the Jordanian front, not only for what happens on the Egyptian front but also in Jerusalem. Firing has continued and is continuing in Jerusalem, Many hundreds have been injured. Very cannily, Egyptian guns have been placed so close to holy places that the proximity gives the Egyptian guns immunity from Israeli counter attack,” Mr. Eban told the Council.

He also replied to the repeated Arab charges of Anglo-American participation with the statement that Israel has not received “a single ounce of help in the planning or the operation or the effectiveness of the present war.” He said that, in regard to the cease-fire call, Israel’s objectives required not only that the fighting stop but also that all the combatant nations clarify their aims and “agree to effective implementation.”

In introducing the cease-fire deadline resolution, the Soviet delegate declared that his draft resolution was addressed to the “aggressor” and that the “aggressor” was Israel. He said his resolution was designed to obtain “the immediate and unconditional cessation of Israel’s military action and aggression against the Arab states.” He added that “it is necessary to condemn the aggressor and see to it that a continuation of the military activities by the aggressor cease because an even mere menacing situation is developing in the area.”

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