Israel’s membership in the UN – Ad Hoc Political Committee- Summary record

FORTY-SIXTH MEETING

Held at Lake Success, New York,

on Friday, 6 May 1949, at 10.30 a.m.

Chairman: General Carlos P. ROMULO

(Philippines)

55.  Application of Israel for admission

to membership in the United Nations (A/818) (continued)

The CHAIRMAN recalled that at its 44th meeting the Committee had adopted a decision to invite the representative of Israel to make such statements and answer such questions as the Committee might deem desirable before reporting to the General Assembly on the item under consideration.  In accordance with that decision, the representative of Israel had made a statement to the Committee, and several delegations had signified their desire to  put questions to him.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. Eban, representative of Israel, took a seat at the Committee table.

Mr. DROHOJOWSKI (Poland) wished to put some questions to the representative of Israel.

A verbatim account of the questions put by the representative of Poland and of the replies given by the representative of Israel follows.

Question: Whom is Mr. Eban representing in this Committee?

Answer: I have been invited here as the representative of the Government of Israel.

Question: Has Mr. Eban other functions here in the United States?

Answer:  No.

Question: Mr. Eban is representing here the State of Israel as such, but he is not representing –as far as I know–any specific religious denomination?

Answer: That is so; I represent the Government of Israel alone.

Question: Mr. Eban is, however, no doubt familiar with the relations between the State of Israel and groups of various religious denominations in the State of Israel?

Answer: The State of Israel contains a great variety of religious groups. The Government of Israel represents them all.  In addition, the Government of Israel is in contact and in negotiation with representatives of world religious authorities who have their representatives in the territory of Palestine.