There is no certainty that the U.N. Security Council will come to any decision when it reassembles tomorrow afternoon to resume consideration of the Israeli complaint against the Egyptian blockade of Israel-bound shipping at the Suez Canal.
If argument develops over the technical issue raised by Mahmoud Fawji Bey, the Egyptian delegate, that the five maritime powers–the United States, Britain, France, the Netherlands and Turkey–should abstain from voting on the resolution calling on Egypt to lift the blockade, as “parties to the dispute,” the tendency may be to put off further discussion until next Wednesday on account of Labor Day.
An Israeli spokesman, commenting on this development, said today that the Security Council had “shown an unprecedented tolerance for wasting its time.” There is no certainty as yet that Egypt will find a sponsor for its resolution calling on the International Court of Justice at the Hague to decide whether the five powers who have protested to Egypt against the blockade are “parties to the dispute” and, as such, should abstain from voting on the resolution.
Nationalist China, which yesterday moved for postponement of Council action to enable study of the Egyptian proposal, and India have been mentioned as possible sponsors. The Chinese delegation refused to comment on the possibility of its sponsorship of the motion and the Indian delegation said it was awaiting instructions from New Delhi.
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