The Arab-Israel issues, usually referred to here as “The Palestine Question,” are expected by the new president of the General Assembly, Sir Leslie Knox Munro, to come up only in relation to the United Nations Emergency Force and the problem of the Arab refugees. Sir Lesile made that assertion today in answer to questions at his first press conference as head of the Assembly.
“I contemplate that those discussions will come up only in connection with these individual items,” he declared. He made the statement in response to a question as to whether there is a likelihood of revival by the United States of a year-old resolution proposing creation of a committee to seek basic solutions for the Middle East tensions.
The matter of UNEF, Sir Leslie indicated, will come up after UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold reports to the Assembly on UNEF’s present status and, possibly, future plans for a United Nations police force. As for payments for the expenses incurred by UNEF, Sir Leslie said he feels such payments should be assessed against all members of the United Nations “as a normal charge, in the normal way.”
The first speech by a member of the Israel delegation at this year’s General Assembly was made late yesterday after Malaya was accepted as the United Nations eighty- second member. Congratulating Sir Leslie on his election and Malaya on its admission, Ambassador Abba Eban said:
“Israel regards the United Nations help to the emancipating of people as one of the most impressive contributions to international harmony. Governments such as my own, which so recently crossed the threshold of independence, are moved with emotion every time we raise our hands to admit others who have just achieved liberty and independence.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
