WORLD : Soviets End Bid to Oust Israel
The Soviet Union today ended a seven-year effort to expel Israel from the General Assembly and abstained from a vote to reject Israel’s credentials. Israel was seated by a vote of 95 to 37, with 15 abstentions.
It was the first time since 1982, when Muslim nations first tried to oust Israel, that the Soviet Union did not vote against the Jewish state.
Last year’s vote was 95 to 41, with seven abstentions in the 159-nation General Assembly.
Israeli diplomats had said the Soviet vote would be a test of its intentions in improving relations with Israel and playing a significant role in the Middle East peace process.
General Assembly resolutions are not binding, and a vote of the 15-nation Security Council is required to expel a nation or admit a new member.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
