The U.N. Security Council today refused to consider the Israeli request for further clarification of its latest truce instructions.
By a vote of two for, and nine abstentions, the Council refused to adopt the agenda presented by Council president Yacov Malik of the Soviet Union and thereby sidestepped the Israeli request for specific information on how the Council would back its orders forbidding retaliatory fighting and ruling invalid political and military gains achieved during truce violations or retaliation to breaches of the peace. An affirmative vote of at least seven is required to adopt the agenda. The U.S.S.R. and the Ukraine cast the only positive ballots.
Malik chided the members of the Council for attempting to keep the Israeli request “under a hat.” The delegates of the United States, Britain, Syria and Belgium took the floor to protest against the calling of an emergency session. Warren Austin of the United States said that it was “neither necessary nor desirable for the Council to elaborate” detailed replies to Israel. This was a matter for the mediator, not the Council, he added the French delegate interpreted the vote to mean not the shelving of the Israeli request, but delaying consideration of it until the Council meets in Paris during the second week of September.
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