As the Members of this body will recall. there were two ceasefire agreements between the Arab States and Israel. signed June 11 and July 18. 1948. these were followed by a formal armistice signed early in 1949. Since then. the basic problems between Israel and the Arab States have not been alleviated. as was hoped 14 years ago. but have instead become aggravated. Such issues as the resettlement of the Arab refugees. the use of the Suez Canal by Israeli and Israelbound shipping. the Gaza strip problemnone of these has come closer to a solution in the intervening years. The differences between the Israelis and the Arabs at this moment are so deep that the Arabs do not even recognize and seriously dispute Israels right of existence as a state. while Israel. of course. claims this right not only by her de facto and de jure position. but also because she believes that historically. morally. and legally the family of nations is obliged to recognize and protect her existence as arising from the Balfour Declaration and other documents considered to be binding under concepts of international law. Meanwhile. the unsettled situation in the Middle East presents serious dangers to the peace not only of that area but also to that of the entire world.
Keywords matched
refugees