Mideast situation/Palestine question – Letter from Israel

Letter dated 18 April 1986 from the Chargé d'affairs a.i. of the

Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

On the morning of 17 April 1986, El Al security guards at London's Heathrow airport discovered a carefully concealed bomb in a bag carried by a woman who was about to board an El Al flight. The plane was due to leave for Tel Aviv with approximately 340 passengers. Had the device exploded, it would have destroyed the Boeing 747, killing everyone aboard.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the pregnant Irish woman was duped by her Arab boyfriend, who, unbeknownst to her, planted the bomb in her bag and dropped her off at the airport. Such a cynical attitude toward human life is shocking even in this age of terror.

The international community should not only condemn this outrage but also take immediate action to prevent its recurrence. For its part, Israel will continue to take all appropriate action to defend and safeguard its citizens, its airlinks and all those who use them.

I have the honour to request that this letter be circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under item 37 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Johanan BEIN

Ambassador

Chargé d'affairs a.i.

—–

__________________

*A/41/50/Rev.1.