PALESTINE ISSUE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 139, 24 March 1948, Page 5

PALESTINE ISSUE

U.S. Change of Policy. BRITAIN WILL STAND FIRM (N.Z.P.A.—Copyright). (Rec. 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, March 23. The Colonial Secretary, Mr A. Creech Jones, referring to the American change of policy on Palestine, told the House of Commons that the Government intended to stand firm on the dates for the termination of the mandate and the withdrawal of troops. Mr Ernest Bevin said that nothing the United Nations Assembly did could affect Britain’s coming out of Palestine. Referring to the suggestion - that Britain might be handing Palestine over to chaos, Mr Bevin declared: “If the United Nations, in taking it on, has produced chaos, how has Britain handed over to chaos? The quicker we are out the better.” The Government would support anything agreed between the Arabs and the Jews but would not take part in enforcing trusteeship or anything else on them. A Jerusalem message says that the Jewish Agency executive sent urgent cable messages to the 73•members*of the general Zionist Council throughout the world summoning them to Palestine for an extraordinary meeting on April 4 to consider the crisis which has developed as the result of the United States reversal of policy.

JEWISH STATE PROCLAMATION ON MAY 16 (Rec. 11.20.) JERUSALEM, Mar. 23. The Jewish Agency has decided to proclaim a Jewish State in Palestine on May 16, the day after Britain relinquishes the mandate.