RUSSIAN POLICY ON PALESTINE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25660, 24 November 1948, Page 5

RUSSIAN POLICY ON PALESTINE

BERNADOTTE PLAN OPPOSED

DEBATE CONTINUED IN U.N. COMMITTEE PARIS, November 22. The Soviet has rejected Count Bernadotte’s proposals for Palestine. The Soviet delegate (Mr Simeon Tsarapkin) said in the United Nations Political Committee to-day that, when the proposals were published, “the whole of the world’s newspapers knew that they were prepared in the British Foreign Office.” He added: “The only way out of the present impasse is strict adherence to the General Assembly’s decision last year. Britain and America want to revise the decision to further their common imperialist policy and to favour their oil monopolies. “Acceptance of the Bernadotte proposals would not contribute to a solution of the problem. It would only lead to a continuance of the war, increased instability in the Middle East, and a permanent threat to peace.” The Canadian delegate (Mr L. B. Pearson) called for world recognition of the provisional State of Israel, but he warned the Jews that they “can not have it both ways.” Mr Pearson said that Israel could not have all the territory given it by the partition plan, and also all the territory it had taken by force of arms. The Jewish State should, in its own interests, place limits on its demands. In return for this, Israel had the right to ask for peace and recognition, he said. Mr Pearson added: “Israel can hardly be asked to enter into negotiations for a settlement unless it is given some right to expect that such a settlement will mean peace for itself. I think we have the right to know that the State we are recognising has committed itself to the principle of a peaceful settlement.” Mr Henry Kattan, speaking for Palestine’s Arabs, told the Committee that between 700,000 and 800,000 homeless Arabs were the victims of indescribable and outrageous acts of aggression by the Jews. Zionist terrorists must return to their countries of origin, he said. He added that economically the partition violated every tenet of justice. It proposed to give the Jejvs the best agricultural land, including all the citrus groves, even although Arabs owned 53 per cent. In the proposed Arab area there would be nothing to produce, nothing to export, and nothing to live on. The committee adjourned until tomorrow.