U.S. Introduces Resolution at Security Council Seeking to Ease Arab-israel Crisis

A draft resolution intended to ease the current Arab-Israel crisis was introduced today by the United States at the U.N. Security Council based on the report of the U.N. Secretary-General U Thant stressing the need for a “breathing spell which will allow tension to subside from its present explosive level.” Noting that Mr. Thant’s report urged all parties concerned “to exercise special restraint to forego belligerance and to avoid all other actions which could increase tension,” the U.S. resolution:

“1. Calls on all the parties concerned as a first step to comply with the Secretary-General’s appeal; 2. Encourages the immediate pursuit of international diplomacy in the interests of pacifying the situation and seeking reasonable, peaceful and just solutions; 3. Decides to keep this issue under urgent and continuous review so that the Council may determine what further steps it might take in the exercise of its responsibilities for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

India introduced a resolution in the Security Council today — suggested by Egypt — sharply condemning Israel for “aggressions.” Roger Seydoux, the French Ambassador, then proposed an adjournment until Friday morning so that his Government could study both the United States and the Indian resolution. With the agreement of Denmark’s Hans Tabor, who will assume the Council presidency tomorrow, it was agreed that the Council would resume debate Friday morning.

Israel’s Ambassador Gideon Rafael, replying to charges voiced by representatives of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Iraq at earlier meetings of this session, told the Security Council today that whereas the Arabs claimed that Israel had crossed their borders 12 times since the armistice agreements were signed with four of the Arab countries in 1949,” they have crossed our borders hundreds of times and caused many hundreds of casualties and wide destruction in Israel.”