UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations General Assembly called on all nations to refrain from supplying or buying any weapons from Israel and to suspend all military assistance to it.
A resolution adopted by 84 votes to 22 with 49 abstentions, calls for suspension of economic, financial and technological assistance and cooperation with Israel. It also urges the members to cut off diplomatic trade and cultural relations with Israel.
The United States and most of its western allies voted against the resolution which the American representative Thomas R Pickering described as “objectionable in tonne.” It contained an unbalanced and harsh condemnation of Israel, he said.
By another resolution the assembly strongly condemned the “increasing collaboration” between Israel and racist regime of South Africa,” especially in the economic military and nuclear fields. It is a “hostile act against African and Arab states,” the resolution said.
The resolution also opposed by American Britain and other western nations, said the agreements on strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel and the continued supply of modern arms and substantial economic aid had encouraged Israel to pursue its “aggressive and expansionist,” policies,
The assembly also reaffirmed its call for convening an international peace conference on the middle east under the auspices of the United Nation. It called for participation of five permanent members of the Security Council and all parties to the dispute including the PLO the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people …” The Assembly declared Israel’s ‘continued occupation of Arab territories as “constituting an act of aggression.” Alll Israeli policies aimed at annexation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem and other occupied Arab territories, are a violation of International law and U.N. resolutions, it declared.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 15, 1989
