Yehuda Blum, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, today termed a resolution passed by the General Assembly as an “anti-peace” resolution which was meant “to impede the peaceful solution of the Arab-Israel conflict.”
Blum made his statement before the Assembly over-whelmingly adopted by a vote of 113-17, with 15 abstentions, a resolution calling on all states to halt any military, economic and financial aid to Israel, as well as “human resources aimed at encouraging it (Israel) to pursue policies against the Arab countries and the Palestinian people.” Observers here suggested that the term “human resources” applied to new immigrants to Israel.
The resolution also stated its rejection of “all partial agreements and separate treaties insofar as they violate the recognized rights of the Palestinian people.” In addition, the resolution condemned the strategic agreement between Israel and the United States, charging that it encourages Israel in its “aggressive” and “expansionist” policy.
The resolution said that peace in the Mideast should be based on a comprehensive solution which includes the establishment of an independent Palestinian state under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
U.S. SAYS RESOLUTION LACKS BALANCE
The United States, which voted against the resolution along with Israel and most of the European countries, said that the resolution lacked balance and would not contribute to peace and that the U.S. remained committed to a solution within the framework of Resolution 242 of 1967.
Blum also referred to Resolution 242 “as the only agreed basis for a negotiated settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It was and remains one of the few positive contributions which this organization (the UN) has made to the cause of peace in the Middle East.” He said that the resolution adopted today contradicted Resolution 242.
Earlier today, the Assembly adopted another resolution on the Palestinian issue, demanding complete and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Arab territories occupied since 1967. The vote on this resolution was 123 in favor, with Israel and the United States voting against, and 19 countries abstaining. The adoption of today’s resolutions officially concluded the General Assembly’s debates on the Mideast situation and the Palestinian question for this year.
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.
