U.N: SYRIAN AMBASSADOR SAYS FIVE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE STAFF WOUNDED IN ISRAELI AIR RAIDS ON DAMASCUS.

Record ID: 230429

  • Title: U.N: SYRIAN AMBASSADOR SAYS FIVE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE STAFF WOUNDED IN ISRAELI AIR RAIDS ON DAMASCUS.
  • Date: 10th October 1973
  • Summary: 1. GV U.N. building 0.08 2. SV Syrian ambassador speaks 2.29 A translation of part of the Syrian ambassador's speech follows: "Today... the Israelis launched a vile attack against civilian objectives in the Syrian capital, Damascus. It has resulted in material damage, and five officials of the United Nations office in Damascus were wounded. One of these officials is of French nationality, the second is British, the third is Italian, the fourth and fifth are Jordanian. The wife of the Indian Ambassador at Damascus was also wounded. The object of the attack was the residential quarter of Damascus, which contains a majority of the foreign diplomatic missions. This attack against Syrian civilian objectives proves the cowardliness of the Israelian enemy, who, it seems, has lost control over his aggressive acts. Mr. President, to hit and bombard civilian objectives, and to kill civilians on the streets and in their homes, do not constitute was efforts as accepted by international law. On the contrary, they constitute a grave violation of international convention and denote on the part of the aggressor, the hate of a human shark, and an arrogance never before seen. It is impossible to imagine that our civilised world can remain without reaction before this kind of barbarism. I thank you, Mr. President." Initials ESP/1730 ESP/1755 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 25th October 1973 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: UNITED NATIONS
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA7D3IFD0BHNIDK42X2IO4I2TBS
  • Story Text: Syria's ambassador to the United Nations told the General Assembly on Tuesday (9 October) that five United Nations office staff members were wounded in an Israeli air raid on Damascus, the Syrian capital.

    Ambassador Haissam Kelani said one of them was French, another British, and a third Italian. The other two were Jordanian nationals. He did not identify them, or give their condition.

    Mr. Keline said the wife of the Indian Ambassador to Damascus was also injured.

    He described the air raid as a "vile attack against civilian objectives" and said it proved the cowardliness of the Israelis. The bombarding of civilian objectives, and the killing of civilians in the streets and in their hoses constituted grave violations of international law and denoted the hate of human shark.

    SYNOPSIS: The Israeli air raid was reported to have killed or wounded up to one hundred people. Buildings damaged in the raid included the three-storey Soviet cultural centre, the Doctors' Association building, a hospital and a teachers training institute. Dozens of private homes were also destroyed. The Syrian Ambassador made no mention of a Norwegian United Nations truce observer, his wife and daughter, who were reported killed in the raid.

    The Israeli air raid and a dogfight with Syrian jets over Damascus brought half an hour of terror and confusion to the ancient Syrian capital. The Syrian ambassador said it was impossible to imagine that the civilised world could remain without reaction to what he called, Israel's barbaric actions.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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