UN Security Council to Meet Wednesday to Consider Israel’s Golan Action

The Security Council will meet tomorrow afternoon to consider the question of Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, it was announced here today after consultations between Council members and Security Council President Oleg Troyanovsky of the Soviet Union.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Yehuda Blum, met this morning with the U.S. Ambassador, Jeane Kirkpatrick, to discuss tomorrow’s voting and the U.S. position on the matter. An Israeli spokesman declined to comment on their meeting. It was learned, however, that Kirkpatrick indicated that the U.S. will not support sanctions against Israel.

This was in line with reports from Washington that Secretary of State Alexander Haig had assured the Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Ephraim Evron, at a meeting yesterday that the U.S. would not back a Security Council resolution calling for sanctions and a cut-off of trade with Israel. The reports said that Haig, nevertheless, told Evron that the U.S. considers the annexation of the Golan Heights Illegal and would support a resolution condemning it.

The Israeli Knesset adopted the Golan measure on December 14. The Security Council, meeting December 17, adopted a resolution demanding that Israel rescind its decision to apply Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration on the Golan Heights. The resolution stipulated that if Israel did not comply, the Council would meet again, “not later than 5 January” to consider taking “appropriate measures.” Israel has not complied with the demand.

Meanwhile, Syria and other Arab states have circulated a draft resolution here calling for sanctions against Israel and demanding that all countries stop shipping arms to Israel, cut off trade with Israel and break diplomatic relations with that country. Diplomatic sources here said if this draft is presented for a vote tomorrow the U.S. is certain to veto it.