PALESTINE ISSUE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 138, 23 March 1948, Page 3

PALESTINE ISSUE

ATTITUDE OF SMALL POWERS

Demand for Full Details

(N.Z.P.A.—Copyright)

NEW YORK, March 21

The small Powers of the United Nations may withhold support for the new American proposal for trusteeship in Palestine until the United States lays down a clearcut plan for enforcing it.

It is said that the move to withhold support is being made by about 12 nations which reluctantly voted for partition in the General Assembly in November because the United States insisted that partition was the only way out of the dilemma. The countries involved in the demand for full details of the American plan include New Zealand, Brazil, the Philippines, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. American officials were confident today that their new policy would eventually be approved. They appeared determined to put it through the Security Council—where the veto applies—instead of skirting a possible Soviet veto by appealing directly to United Nations members at a special Assembly meeting. It is considered that even if Russia vetoed a call for an Assembly session, and the proposal that the Palestine Commission cease its work, the United States would then invoke other articles of the United Nations Charter and gain a special Assembly session. Dr. Abba Silver, chairman of the American section of the ( Jewish Agency, said to-day that the United States proposal for a United Nations trusteeship over Palestine meant that United States troops would have to fight Palestine’s Jews. “It is unthinkable, but I have seen many unthinkable things happen in this crazy world of ours.”

Force Will Be Needed

Dr. Silver, who was addressing the administrative council of the Zionist Organisation of America, said that a trusteeship decision could be carried out only by force, and the United States would have to assume most ol the responsibility for this. If a United Nations force were sent to Palestine—and it would have to be sent if the trusteeship proposal were adopted—the United States would be in it and Russia would he kept out. “Whether the soldiers under a new regime wear French, Chinese, or American uniforms will not make a particle of difference. The opposition will still be there.” Dr. Silver alleged that America s change of policy had been caused by “powerful United States oil interests, who saw their interests endangered because of Arab opposition to partition.” The oil companies, he added, had organised a systematic campaign to get the-United States to alter its decision on Palestine. NO CHANGE LIKELY ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN (Rec. 11.20 a.m.) LONDON, Mar. 22. " t The United States proposal to substitute Uno trusteeship instead o£ partition for Palestine will not cause Britain’s decision to -surrender the mandate on May 15 and withdraw British troops by August 1 /to be modified, says the political correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” Ministerial discussions at the weekend agreed that there was no ground for considering a chdnge in dates, even if practicable' at such a late stage. Government circles are certain that public opinion: would not tolerate exposing for a day more than necessary British troops to attacks from either side. The correspondent added that reception of tlie United States plan bad not anyone to think that the dangers to the British forces would be lessened by a change in policy. ARABS RUN AMOK

EXPLOSION IN IRAQ STREET (Rec. 11.40) JERUSALEM, Mar. 22. Seventeen Arabs are known to be dead and 50 injured as the result of an explosion in Iraq Street in Haifa today, which blew up the Arab quarter and shattered buildings in the vicinity. Following the explosion, maddened Arabs.ran amok and attacked British armoured cars and tried to steal weapons. One British policeman was killed and another wounded when Arabs fired on the British police headquarters after the explosion, which was caused by a lorry packed with explosives blowing up in a crowded street near the Arab market in the harbour area. The blast, tore down a 'Whole block of Arab buildings and shook an area for miles around.

Arabs, immediately after the explosion, started mortaring the Jewish part of the town. Arab volunteers and British troops are to-night fighting flames which are sweeping the Aral) area. The authorities cordoned off the area and armoured cars carrying paratroops and two-pounder, guns were rushed to cover all exists, following British armoured car radio reports that Arab violence was growing.

HEAVY FIGHTING REPORTED

ARABS AND JEWS IN HAIFA

(Rec. 1 p.m.) JERUSALEM, Mar. 22. An Army type jeep, driven by Jews dressed in British uniforms, escorted a lorry into Iraq Street, in Haifa, where it exploded, says Reuter’s Haifa correspondent.

Haganah radio claimed that the Jewish defence force was responsible for the explosion. Arabs to-night launched a machinegun attack against Jews in Haifa. Heavy fighting, interspersed with mortar bombing, followed. The British constable who was wounded when Arabs fired on police, headquarters died in hospital. It is officially stated that two British soldiers were killed and three

others wounded when British artillery and infantry intervened in an Arab attack on the Jewish settlement, of Hartuv. Artillery laid down a smokescreen and sent four high-explo-sives into the village of Ishwa, where Arab guerillas were entrenched. Infantry then advanced. Twenty-two Arabs are reported to have been killed.