U.N. Security Council Starts Session on Israel-arab Tension

Acting on the joint request of the United States, Britain and France, the United Nations Security Council met this morning in an “urgent session” to consider the increased tension between Israel and the Arab countries.

At the suggestion of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., head of the American delegation, the Security Council agreed without objection to ask its president, Ambassador William Borberg of Denmark, to request Gen. Vagn Bennike, chief of staff of the UN truce supervision organization in Palestine, to come to New York as soon as possible and appear before the Council. The session then adjourned until tomorrow morning without adopting an agenda.

A lengthy procedural debate took place at today’s session following a request by Charles Malik of Lebanon for clarification on exactly what the three Big Powers desired the Security Council to discuss under the heading of “The Palestine Question” as indicated in the proposed agenda.

The Lebanese delegate proposed that the item be worded as follows: “The Palestine question – recent acts of violence committed by Israeli armed forces against Jordan. ” He said that if this wording were not adopted, he would have to vote against adoption of the agenda and would ask for inscription on the Council’s agenda of a new item worded as above. He was supported in this by chief Soviet delegate Andrei Vishinsky.

WESTERN POWERS REJECT ARAB PRESSURE ON SECURITY COUNCIL

The lengthy speech by the Lebanese delegate was interpreted as an attempt to either force the Western Powers to include in their letter to the U.N. Security Council a specific complaint against Israel’s retaliatory raid on the Jordan village of Kibya, or to filibuster to give Jordan time to bring its own complaint to the Council. At a meeting yesterday the Arab delegations here decided that Jordan should lodge such a complaint.

The Western delegates expressed surprise at Mr. Malik’s stand. The French delegate thought that the request of the Lebanese delegate was “exorbitant. ” He pointed out that the representatives of France, the United Kingdom and the United States had drawn up their letters to the U. N. Security Council in accordance with instructions from their governments and had not sought the advice of the Government of Lebanon or of Dr. Malik. He said that the text before the Council seemed to them clear and appropriate to the issue, and they would refuse to change the text of their letters in any way. If Dr. Malik wished to vote against the agenda, he was free to do so. He could also submit a text of his own, and it would be put to the vote. However, they could not take seriously his suggestions, whether stylistic, philosophical or political, for changes in their text.

Dr. Francisco Urrutia of Colombia proposed adjournment until tomorrow. He said the representative of Lebanon had raised a matter of substance. He would like to think about it and perhaps consult his government. It might be better to limit the agenda item, and not call it “the Palestine question, ” which could include the question of Jerusalem and result in a wide-ranging debate.

The U.S. representative said it was impossible for the Council to adopt any formulation which would prevent something quite different from being discussed a few weeks from now. What they wanted to do now was to invite Gen. Bennike so that he could be here as soon as possible, added the United States representative. He supported the motion to adjourn until tomorrow.