UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., July 17, 1976 - Last week the United Nations Security Council carried out a four-hour debate on the Israeli commando raid on Entebbe Airport, a raid on July 3 which resulted in the death of more than 20 Ugandan soldiers, the destruction of a number of Ugandan Air Force jets, and large-scale material damage to the airport. The Third World response largely focused on the dangerous precedent set by the Israeli action and called for the condemnation of Israel for a violation of the UN Charter and international law. The Organization of African Unity submitted a resolution - they filed the original complaint on which the meeting was based - calling for the condemnation of the Israelis and payment of reparations by the Israelis for their attack on Uganda. U.S. and Great Britain submitted a counter resolution which called for a condemnation of hijacking and terrorism while only abstractly "reaffirming" the concept of territorial sovereignty without mentioning the Israeli action. The debate formally ended when a vote on the U.S.-Great Britain resolution failed the receive the 9 votes required for passage; The African and Third World representatives tabled their own resolution when it became obvious it would fail to receive the required 9 votes. Under any circumstances, it would have been vetoed by the U.S.
- There will be no excuse in history for this body or for the constituent member of this body, if it fails to condemn terrorism. It has fallen to the let of my small country, embattled as we are, to demonstrate to the world that there is an alternative to surrender to terrorism and blackmail ... Chaim Herzog, Representative of Israel.
- We must be deeply concerned over the problem of air piracy and the callous and pernicious use of innocent people as hostages to promote political ends. This Council cannot forget that the Israel operation in Uganda would never have come about had the hijacking of the Air France flight from Athens not taken place ... William Scranton, US Representative
- There is a right to use limited force for the protection of one's own nationals from an imminent threat of injury or death in a situation where the State in whose territory they are located is either unwilling or unable to protect them. This limited right flows from the right of self-defense ... Scranton
- Israel invoked one of the most remarkable rescue missions in history, a combination of guts and brains that has seldom, if ever, been surpassed. It electrified millions everywhere, and I confess I was one of them. It was justified - truly justified - because innocent decent people have a right to live and be rescued from terrorists who recognize no law and who are ready to kill if their demands are not met ... Scranton
- No reasons can justify the fact that a small State was subjected to aggression by Israel, armed and supplied with everything necessary for this by other States.The draft resolution must compel Israel to recompense Uganda for the material damage done in connection with this attack. In addition, the Security Council must extend a serious warning to Israel that such acts of aggression will not go unpunished in the future ... Kharlamov, USSR Representative
- Libya' s role in supporting international terrorism financially, militarily and politically and its involvement in attempts at the assassination of foreign leaders, including Arab heads of state, is known to all of us and I need not repeat it here .. Herzog.
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