Foreign Minister Mahmoud Riad of Egypt got the General Assembly’s Middle East debate under way today with a 40-minute venomous condemnation of Israeli “aggression,” “expansionism,” “opportunism,” “political deceit” and “colonial and racist designs.” Half an hour later, Foreign Minister Abba Eban of Israel held a press conference to denounce Mr. Riad’s “very violent and dishonorable tirade.” Mr. Eban said he would state Israel’s case to the Assembly “at an early date.” Mr. Riad was the first speaker on item 22 of the Assembly agenda, “The Situation in the Middle East.” Israel fears the Arab states will try to push through a resolution that would “tamper” with the provisions of Security Council Resolution 242, which Israel and Egypt both accept but interpret differently. Mr. Eban reinforced that point at his news conference when be warned against permitting the “erosion of the documentary consensus achieved by the Security Council.” He emphasized that Article 12 of the United Nations Charter prohibits the Assembly from making recommendations on matters under Security Council consideration–without Council approval.
Mr. Riad did not waste any time getting to the heart of his charges. He began by scoring Israel’s “continued aggression against the territorial integrity of three states,” calling it the “gravest threat to peace.” He included Syria among those three states, although that country has never accepted Resolution 242. Mr. Riad accused Israel of “resisting any international effort…to establish peace” and of “consistent” opposition to the Council resolution of Nov. 22, 1967. He described as “lies” Israel’s charges of Egyptian standstill violations in the Suez Canal zone, and said Israel herself had committed “gross” violations. Israel, Mr. Riad charged, “cynically” demands that Egypt “abandon” her air defenses, thus paving the way for “criminal raids” by Israel and “organized killing by its bombers.” Mr. Riad further charged that Israel has expressed her “determination to retain” the occupied Arab territories, that partition was “a grave injustice to the people of Palestine.” that “Israel has renounced every agreement it has signed with the Arab nations,” and that American arms deliveries to the Jewish state were “a further escalation of the United States’ assistance to Israel, the aggressor.” Mr. Riad asserted the Arabs’ “absolute determination to liberate every inch” of the occupied territories.
EBAN; UAR’S OFFENSIVE AGAINST JEWS MOST OVERWHELMING SINCE HITLER’S DOWNFALL
Mr. Eban said Minister Riad was “someone who doesn’t seem to be taking world opinion seriously.” The Egyptian offensive against the Jews, he declared has been the most overwhelming “since the downfall of Hitler.” Flanked by Israel’s UN ambassador, Yosef Tekoah, who did not speak, Mr. Eban reiterated that it is the Egyptian missile violations that are blocking the resumption of the peace negotiations, not alleged Israeli aggression or intransigence. He said of Mr. Riad: “He didn’t quote a single document correctly. He didn’t quote the Security Council resolution correctly.” Of the Egyptian violations he said: “It’s frivolous to try to sweep that under the carpet….We cannot possibly ignore that and pretend that it does not exist.” Mr. Eban referred to a map of Egyptian missile sites he had submitted to the General Assembly on Sept. 28, saying it was “completely outstripped by new installations” and adding: “There seems to be no end to it.”
The Israeli Foreign Minister reaffirmed Israel’s support of Resolution 242, the Gunnar V. Jarring peace mission, and peace in general, and said Israel did not seek to deprive Egypt of its air defense. Reiterating his government’s support of an “indefinite” cease-fire, Mr. Eban remarked: “Nov. 5 (the termination date of the truce) is not a sacred date. It is not a date in the Hebrew calendar.” Echoing President Nixon’s address to the Assembly last Friday, Mr. Eban observed: “‘Confidence’–I think that’s the key word.” Asked whether Israel would negotiate with Jordan, Mr. Eban reiterated Israeli Premier Golda Meir’s statement in a television interview in Washington late last week that Israel was ready to do so but that King Hussein did not appear to be Assembly president Edvard I. Hambro said discussion of item 22 would continue tomorrow if there are any requests for speaking time. Egypt spoke first because it had called for the debate.
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.
