A threat by the United States to walk out of the World Health Organization (WHO) resulted in modification of a resolution condemning Israel for annexing East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights and calling, in effect, for sanctions against the Jewish State. The sanctions clause was deleted after the U.S. representative, John Bryant, branded the draft resolution “inaccurate and offensive” and warned that the U.S. would leave the organization for an indefinite period and review its financial and technical support for the United Nations agency.
The resolution, sponsored by 29 Arab and Third World countries was adopted by a committee of the WHO’s annual Assembly here by a vote of 60-27 and 24 abstentions. The full Assembly is expected to adopt it later this week. The measure declared the annexation of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights “null and void” and requested “all specialized agencies of the United Nations system to abide” by it “in their relations with Israel.” The U.S. considered that to be a call for sanctions.
The 12-point resolution, in addition, held Israel responsible for the “poor health and psycho logical conditions endured by the inhabitants of the territories” occupied by Israel.
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.
