U.S. Advocates Assurances for Israel at United Nations Assembly Debate

Israel firmly reasserted before the General Assembly today its demands for assurances against renewed Egyptian belligerency simultaneously with withdrawal of troops from the Gaza and Akaba sectors. At the same session of the Assembly the United States for the first time spoke of the need for assurances to Israel and insisted that Egypt must comply with all past resolutions, including those adopted by the Security Council.

At an all-day session of the Assembly discussing Secretary General Dag Hammarsk-jold’s latest report on Israel’s “failure to comply with previous troop withdrawal resolutions, a brief but succinct statement by Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., chairman of the U.S. delegation, evoked great interest here.

Starting out by declaring that the U.S still thinks “that Israel must withdraw its forces without further delay,” Mr. Lodge implied that the United Nations Emergency Force should stay in the Gulf of Akaba area as long as it is necessary for full freedom of passage through the waterway.

“We believe,” Mr. Lodge told the Assembly, “that it is essential that units of the United Nations Emergency Force be stationed at the Straits of Tiran in order to achieve there the separation of Egyptian and Israeli land and sea forces. This separation is essential until it is clear that the non-exercise of any claimed belligerent rights has established in practice the peaceful conditions which must govern navigation in waters having such an international interest.”

The American position, as stated by Mr. Lodge, is that UWEF should cooperate with the UN Truce Supervision Organization, as suggested by Mr. Hammarskjold, and should be deployed on both sides of the Egypt-Israel armistice lines, especially in the “sensitive positions in the Gaza and el Auja sectors.” However, he told the Assembly that not only Israel but Egypt as well must strictly observe the armistice agreement and must give “fullest respect” to the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly which “are the keys to the restoration of peace and stability.”

“Surely this Assembly would not be satisfied with the return to the unsatisfactory conditions which helped to bring about the recent hostilities.” the head of the American delegation said. Insisting that Israel must complete the withdrawal of its forces behind the armistice lines, Mr. Lodge declared that following such withdrawal “assurances that are sought in this connection can be given effect–and they must be given effect.” He emphasized very strongly his government’s position that “the United Nations Emergency Force is carrying out its important mission for the benefit of both Israel and Egypt.”

ISRAEL READY TO SIGN NON-AGGRESSION PACT WITH EGYPT, EBAN SAYS

Ambassador Eban in his address appealed to the General Assembly to employ the present situation toward bringing about concrete steps leading toward peace between Egypt and Israel. He told the Assembly that Israel is ready right now to sign an agreement of non-belligerence and mutual non-aggression with Egypt.

The head of the Israel delegation took issue with certain sections of the report submitted last Friday to the Assembly by Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold in which he insisted on Israel’s immediate and unconditional withdrawal from the Gaza and Akaba areas. It is Israel’s duty, Mr. Eban pointed out, not to restore but to prevent restoration of a situation which was illegal, such as the blockades and the Egyptian terror which raged from Gaza.

“We seek to have our ships sail freely, equally with others on international waterways,” Ambassador Eban said. “We seek to live without our men, women and children being liable to sudden death springing at their throats from Gaza and elsewhere. We want to be free to develop our commerce free from the warlike strangulation of blockades.”

Mr. Eban warned the Assembly that, after the United Nations had cleared the Suez Canal it must not allow that canal to be used as a form of illegal discrimination against Israel. “These things are our rights,” Mr. Eban declared, “they are not acts of grace. Let us have these rights and we shall respect the rights of others.”