justice and law in the solution of the problem which is once again before the Council today. 48. There was a time when all of ~1.1s would hang on every word of the Israeli spokesmen, looking for an indiscretion or an unguarded statement which might at last give some hint of the deep-seated intentions of the Zionist authorities with respect to Palestine, the Palestinian people and the neighbouring Arab countries. 49. It is true that the minds of the Arab peoples directly concerned, and more particularly the Palestinian people, were already made up, For them the settled determination of the Zionists to establish themselves and to spread out in the region was no longer open to doubt, A typical colonialist type of operation was going on in their territories to the detriment of their interests, their sover- eignty, their very existence. 50. But a doubtful international opinion had to be convinced of this fact, an opinion that was still under the sway of sympathy, which was legitimate at the outset but which was all too soon enlisted in the service of a tragic hoax on an unprecedented scale which plunged the Middle East into an era of violence and killing which has been going on for a quarter of a century and which, alas, is far from being over. 5 1. The Israeli aggression of June 1967 and its far-reaching consequences for the military balance in the region to the benefit of the aggressor have had the unexpected effect, particularly for us Africans, of unmasking once and for all the true face of the Zionist State, its racist nature and its expansionist aims. 52. Thanks to an eloquence which owes much to the heady Intoxication of success, many Israeli leaders no Ionger make any secret of their designs or of their appetites. 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a political statement or a diplomatic document, discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the perceived expansionist aims of the Zionist State. It expresses strong opinions and emotions, using phrases like "tragic hoax" and "racist nature". The text does not mention any specific economic, environmental, or technological issues, but rather focuses on the political and ideological aspects of the conflict.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, International trade