UN Assembly Votes to Approve Israel’s Credentials

The General Assembly this afternoon approved the credentials of Israel and 89 other countries. Its approval followed the adoption of a motion by Finland not to vote on Iran’s proposal of last night to reject the credentials of Israel.

The vote in favor of the motion was 74-9 with 31 abstentions. It ended weeks of threats and speculation that Israel would be suspended from participation in the 37th General Assembly currently in session. After adopting the Finnish motion, the Assembly approved the report of the Credentials Committee covering the credentials of 90 member states, including Israel.

In a surprise move last night, Iran decided to challenge Israel’s credentials to the Assembly and introduced the issue for a vote despite an earlier decision by Arab and other Moslem countries to drop their campaign against Israel for the time being. The Iranian proposal, introduced by Ambassador Said Rajaie-Khorassani, was offered as an amendment to a report of the Assembly’s Credentials Committee which recommended the approval of Israel’s credentials along with 89 other member states.

Iran said last night that it decided to press for Israel’s suspension because it believed the United States would not carry out its threat to withdraw its financial support of the UN if Israel were expelled. Even if the U.S. halted its payments, Iran said, it would make up the financial loss, together with Libya.

The U.S. warned repeatedly in the last few weeks that it would walk out of the Assembly and suspend payments to the UN if Israel were expelled. The U.S. pays more than 25 percent of the UN budget of $600 million. A U.S. walkout would be the first step in the disintegration of the UN, diplomats here have been warning. American diplomats reiterated today the U.S. decision to walk out of the Assembly if Israel were suspended.