U.S. Vetoes Anti-israel Resolution

The United States last night vetoed a Security Council resolution that deplored Israel’s settlement policies as “illegal” and urged the international community “not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in the occupied territories.”

The American veto concluded the debate of the Council on the situation in the West Bank in the wake of an attack by masked gunmen on students at the Islamic College of Hebron last week. Three students were killed and 33 were wounded. Although the identity of the gunmen has not yet been determined, the Arabs accused Israeli settlers of being responsible for the killings.

The United States was the only country in the 15-member Council to cast a “no” vote. Thirteen countries supported the resolution, and one — Zaire –abstained.

REASON FOR U.S. VETO

Ambassador Charles Lichenstein of the United States told the Council that his country voted against the resolution because it objected, among other things, to the characterization of Israel’s settlement policy as having no legal standing.

The debate over the legality of the Israeli settlements, was “sterile,” the American envoy contended, claiming that it was neither “practical or even appropriate to call for the dismantling of the existing settlements,” as the Arab-sponsored resolution before the Council demanded. The resolution called on Israel “to desist from expanding and enlarging the existing settlements and, in particular, to cease on an urgent basis from the planning, construction and establishment of new settlements in the Arab territories occupied in 1967, including Jerusalem.” The resolution warned that “in the event of non-compliance by Israel” the Security Council will seek “practical ways” to implement the resolution, a phrase that implies the imposition of sanctions.

BLUM REJECTS CHARGES AGAINST ISRAEL

Yehuda Blum, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said that his country condemned the murders in Hebron and recalled the statements by the Israeli government to that effect after the incident. But he said that Israel “cannot get a fair deal in the Security Council.”

In a sharply worded speech, Blum rejected the charges made against Israel during the debate and said “that foul and abusive language” has become common in the Council when Israel is the topic of discussion. “The sad fact is that this Council has over the years systematically disqualified itself” from helping to negotiate peace in the Mideast, Blum declared.

The Israeli envoy said that the Council is guilty of bias against Israel. “When had the Council ever expressed concern over the murder of Jews?” Blum asked, adding: “Why was one supposed to believe in the Council’s impartiality toward Israel?” He said that the real reason for the campaign against Israel in the UN is because Israel’s right to exist is denied by its enemies.

As for the issue of Israeli settlements, Blum said that the right of Jews to live anywhere in Israel had been put forward many times. “Jews have a right to live in Judaea and Samaria. We do not regard ourselves as strangers in any part of the Land of Israel,” Blum declared. He added, however, “We seek to live as equals with the Arabs (in the West Bank), not to replace them.”