PALESTINE PARTITION ABANDONED BY U.S.

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25449, 22 March 1948, Page 7

PALESTINE PARTITION ABANDONED BY U.S.

Temporary U.N. Trusteeship Proposed

GENERAL MARSHALL EXPLAINS CHANGE OF POLICY

(N.Z. Pre»s Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 ) NRW YORK. March 20The United States has withdrawn ifo support from trig United Nations partition plan for Palestine, and proposes instead “a tgmpprsiry trusteeship to maintain peace and (five tha Arabs and Jews a further opportunity to reach agreement regarding Palestine’s future government.” This decision and proposal were put before the Security Council on Friday. It is reported to have been received by Palestine Jews with “shocked surprise,” and declarations ef Jew* ish determination to persist in efforts tp establish a Jewish state. The Arab League's secretary-general (Araaiß Pashfll said the American decision was “wonderful.”

In London, a British Colonial Office spokesman reiterated Britain’s determination to end the mandate on May 15, and t® withdraw the British troops by August 1. Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says: “British quarter* consider that the trusteeship plan is scarcely mere likely to be enforceable than thp partition plan- There is anxiety that underlying the United-States change of view may be the hope that Britain will, after all, continue to bear the responsibility for maintaining order in Palestine. This course would not find support ip Parliament.

“If, however, the General Assembly voted, the, Palestine Commission opt of existence, the British Administration would have no nominal authority to which tp transfer legal power, public assets, or offipiai records." •

The United States Secretary of State (General Marshall) disclosed to-day that it was on his suggestion to Mr Truman that the United States had changed its attitude. **The proposal for a temporwy United Nations trusteeship Cor Palestine ft th? only suggestion so far presented which appears to offer any basis for action by the United Nations to meet the existing situation in Palestine,” he said in a statement.