U.N. Bid to Reject Israel Blocked

The General Assembly, for the sixth consecutive year, blocked a bid by Arab states today to reject Israel’s U.N. credentials.

A motion by Finland, on behalf of the Nordic states, to take no action on the Arab challenge was approved by a vote of 80 to 39, with 10 abstentions. The move to reject Israel’s credentials, while accepting those submitted by 108 other U.N. members, was introduced by Libya on behalf of 20 Arab states, joined later by Iran. The Soviet Union and most of its allies, as in the past, joined the Arab countries in voting against the motion to shelve the challenge to Israel.