‘Flimsy Pretext’

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32396, 8 September 1970, Page 13

‘Flimsy Pretext’

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, Sept.. 7. The Egyptian delegate to the Middle East peace talks, Dr Mahammed Hassan El-Zayyat, said in the United Nations that Israel had consistently sought to destroy peace initiatives even before they began.

He was commenting last night on the Israeli Government’s decision to withdraw from the U.N.-sponsored discussions pending rectification of its claims about Egyptian violations of the Suez Canal cease-fire Dr El-Zayyat said that this was a “flimsy pretext” to get out of the talks. In a prepared statement given to reporters, he said that he was not surprised by Israel’s action, which was “one more in the series of delaying tactics” by Israel while she sought a way out of the “dilemma” created by her acceptance of the American proposals. This dilemma, Dr El-Zayyat said, resulted from the fact that a peace settlement would put an end to Israel’s "policy of expansion” and require that she abide by the Security Council resolution of November 22, 1967—which in part called for the withdrawal of Israel forces from Arab territory occupied in the six-day war.

“We have been planning and are still planning for peace based on justice” the Egyptian delegate said “but it appears that the Zionists can think of nothing but the tools of war.

“We accepted the American initiative believing that the United States shared our desire for a just and durable peace and for restoring justice to the Palestinians and putting an end to the strife, for the benefit of all. “We are now waiting for the reaction of the United States Government to this rebuff to its initiative. Will it continue to support Israel by military means and thus encourage her to persist in this kind of attitude?”