Western Europe is practically unanimous in branding last night’s United Nations vote equating Zionism with racism as “unfortunate,” “ill advised” and “encouraging extremist elements,” Holland has already announced that it will no longer cooperate with the United Nations anti-racist program and Luxembourg is considering similar steps, Dutch Foreign Minister Max Van Der Stoel who announced his government’s decision, said the resolution “is a danger for the United Nations itself.” He said under “these circumstances the Dutch government will no longer be able to cooperate with the anti-racism program.”
In Luxembourg, government circles said the government will consider “concrete steps” as a result of the resolution vote, The sources said a final decision will be taken only after the return home of Prime Minister Gaston Thorn who is also President of the General Assembly.
In West Germany, where Israel’s Foreign Minister Yigal Allon arrived today, the Association of Roman Catholics described the resolution as “ill advised” and encouraging “to extremist elements,” The Association’s president, Bernhard Vogel said “It will help those forces which aim at Israel’s destruction.” Holland, Luxembourg, West Germany and France were among those nations opposed to the resolution in last night’s vote.
CALL FOR A DEMONSTRATION
In Paris, the influential evening paper “Le Monde,” in a front page editorial described the resolution as “regrettable for both moral and political reasons.” The paper added “morally, it is shocking that the people who has suffered most as a consequence of racism should be charged with this offense.” The paper stressed that the vote was reached “by a coalition which includes Saudi Arabia, which disseminates anti-Semitic forgeries, and Uganda whose President praised Hitler.”
In Paris, local Jewish organizations have called for a protest meeting which will take place next Monday in the city’s largest hall, “Salle de la Mutualite.” Jewish organizations have issued communiques branding the vote criminal and disastrous for the United Nations itself.
In Eastern Europe, official press agencies Praised the resolution. The Soviet news agency, “Tass,” in a two paragraph dispatch from New York, said it was “a major decision taken by the International community in spite of inadmissible pressures to which it has been submitted by Zionist and international imperialist elements,” It said “the resolution denounced Zionism as the ideology of imperialism.”
In East Germany, the ADN news agency hailed “a great success for the Just cause of the Palestinian people of Palestine” and “an encouragement.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon said this morning at the conclusion of a five-day visit to Holland “The resolution marks the bankruptcy of the United Nations,” He stressed that “the nations supporting the resolution have Jeopardized the chances for peace in the Middle East” and “encouraged extremist and undemocratic elements.”
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