ISRAEL ADMITTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 7

ISRAEL ADMITTED

UNITED NATIONS ARAB DELEGATES WALK OUT NZPA—Copyright Rec. 9.36 p.m. NEW YORK, May 11. Israel was to-day admitted to membership of the United Nations by a vote of 37 to 12, with nine abstentions. As Israel had easily cleared the required two-thirds majority, the President. Dr H. V. Evatt. announced that Israel was a member of the United Nations. This was greeted by deafening applause from the public galleries. Following Dr Evatt’s announcement, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Mr Moshe Sharret, was invited to the rostrum. Addressing the Assembly, Mr Sharret said: “The admission of Israel to this Assembly is the consummation of the people’s transition from political anonymity to clear identity.” Just before Mr Sharret began to speak, the delegates of the six Arab countries, which voted against Isi'Sel’s admission, quietly got up from their seats one by one and walked out of the plenary hall. General opinion is that the Arabs wanted to make a gesture of protest, but do not intend to boycott the United Nations. All refused to comment on the position. Welcoming Israel to membership of the United Nations. Dr Evatt said: “.I look forward to the time when the

wounds of the peoples of the Middle East will be healed, when we shall find co-operation and friendship and, indeed, comradeship among all the peoples of the Middle East.” When Mr Sharret finished his speecn Dr Evatt invited the Israeli delegation to take their places in the Assembly Hall. The Israelis took their places, hut the seats of the delegations on each side of them—lraq and the Lebanon—were empty. As soon as Dr Evatt declared the session closed, a number of delegates and members of the public crowded around the Israeli table to congratulate Mr Sharret, and eventually United Nations guards had to clear a way for him out of the hall. , The creation of the State of Israel has cost the United Nations approximately 3,500,000 dollars. United Nations officials estimated to-day. This includes the cost of two special sessions of the General Assembly, the expenses of the Palestine Commission, and the large expenses of the mediation efforts in Palestine.