Pakistan Wants U.N. To Retake Jerusalem

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31421, 14 July 1967, Page 9

Pakistan Wants U.N. To Retake Jerusalem

(N. Z.P.A. -Reuter—Copyright)

NEW YORK, July 12.

Pakistan formally proposed today that the Security Council act to remove the Old City of Jerusalem from Israeli control.

Mr Agha Shahi, the chief Pakistani delegate, read the text of a new resolution on the issue at the General Assembly resumed debate on the Middle East crisis.

The draft would also have the 122-nation assembly reprove Israel for its failure to comply with the Pakistani-led resolution about Jerusalem which the Assembly adopted by an overwhelming majority on July 4. That resolution said measures taken by Israel to absorb the old city were invalid, and called on the Israeli Government to rescind them and to desist from other steps to alter the pre-war status of Jerusalem. Conscience Vote Urged Introducing the new draft, Mr Shahi asked for “a vote of conscience, not of policy.” Observers took the applause which followed his remarks as an indication of the strong feelings that have developed over the Jerusalem issue, which is expected to be one of the main problems of the resumed session. The Jordanian Foreign Minister, Mr Ahmad Tuqan, who spoke after Mr Shahi, said the United Nations faced a challenge on a fundamental issue

by Israel, which had showed indifference and contempt for the decisions of the international community. Not only had Israel failed to heed the Assembly’s appeals, but it had expedited the absorption of Jerusalem into the Israeli administrative structure, he said.

Israel has declared that its absorption of the Old City is irrevocable.

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr Abba Eban, said in a reply to the United Nations appeals released yesterday that his Government was “confident that world opinion will welcome the new prospect of seeing this ancient and historic metropolis thrive in unity, peace and spiritual elevation.” The Pakistani delegate today asked the Assembly, resuming after a week’s recess, what was it but extreme arrogance that an invader should ask the world to rejoice in its occupation of other territory? “Closed To Moslems” Mr Shahi, who made the pilgrimage to Mecca before coming to the United Nations, said the holy places in Jerusalem were closed to 700 million Moslems. “We are torn by the deepest anxiety if the holy places remain in the hands of Israel,” he said. The Soviet representative, Dr. Nikolai Fedorenko, said Israel had the audacity to allege its intervention had brought benefits to the Jerusalem Arabs through the “free and constant association” in the city. The Israeli leaders had completely lost their heads in their state of military excitement and because of "the assistance they received from more powerful protectors.” Dr. Fedorenko said those who directly or indirectly supported Israel would be fully responsible for the future course of events and possibly for wider conflict. He again warned that the Security Council might have to impose sanctions against Israel and repeated that Russia was ready to join such action.