The possibility was indicated here today that the United States may drop its plan to introduce a resolution on the Gaza-Akaba issue at this time because the U.S. delegation is having difficulty in securing the two-thirds – vote needed in the UN General Assembly for passage of any resolution. This indication was given by a member of the U.S. delegation after the Assembly adjourned this afternoon without discussing Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza and Akaba areas and without setting a date for the renewal of the discussion which started last Friday.
However, another spokesman for the American delegation told the press here today that the delegation “is engaging very actively in consultations looking toward development of a draft resolution which will in effect be a middle way between the hortatory approach and sanctions.” He emphasized that the resolution will envision “possible necessity of going to some form of pressure” against Israel if withdrawal of the Israeli troops is not completed from the Akaba and Gaza areas.
According to the spokesman, full compliance with previous withdrawal resolutions will be demanded again in the resolution. However. at the same time, the resolution will, he said, “point up the need for coming to grips with other problems, long-term problems which need to be dealt with in the area.”
The spokesman stressed that the problems which must be tackled after troop withdrawals must go to the very basis of Israel-Arab relations. He reiterated that the Egypt-Israel armistice agreement of 1949 must be buttressed and practical steps must be found to strengthen that agreement.
ISRAELIS TAKE ISSUE WITH U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL’S VIEWS
Israeli circles today took issue with the report presented last night by UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold in which he stated that “Egypt is given the right to control the Gaza Strip by armistice agreement” and that the question of Akaba cannot be solved separately, as intended by Israel’s approach.
“Israel cannot compromise on the direct or indirect return of Egypt to Gaza,” an Israel statement here said. It added that the views presented by the Secretary General on Gaza “cannot be regarded as a constructive contribution toward the solution of the problem.”
“As to Sharm el Sheikh, (in the Akaba area), while the report confirms that UNEF’s function is to prevent belligerency, this affirmation is accompanied by qualifications which are obscure and ominous and bound to nullify our objective–the reedom of navigation in the Strait of Tiran and the Gulf of Akaba for all nations,” the statement stressed.
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