WHAT DECISION INVOLVES

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1947, Page 7

WHAT DECISION INVOLVES

After Mr Creech Jones’s speech to the Palestine Committee today, a British spokesman emphasised that Britain regarded the question of terminating the mandate and that _of withdrawing entirely from Palestine as separate matters. He explained that Britain was determined to end the mandate, regardless of what decision the Assembly might make, but if the Assembly found a plan acceptable to both the Arabs and the Jews, she would be willing to help to implement. It was obvious that such a solution would not involve the use of force. It was even possible that such a plan might take the form of a United Nations trusteeship, administered by Britain. Same Plan as for India

An official familiar with Britain’s policy interpreted Mr Creech Jones’s statement as meaning that Britain was prepared to use the same method of withdrawal from Palestine as she used in India.

If the Assembly evolved no acceptable plan, Britain, in this official’s opinion, would tell both the Arabs and Jews they must prepare for the end of the mandate and British administration. Then, whatever the consequences, Britain would fix a date and leave Palestine. She would, however, offer her good offices in trying to settle the communal strife. After the adjournment of the committee, the delegates from most countries agreed that Britain had present-

ed the United Nations with the greatest challenge in its career. Both the Arab and Jewish representatives were extremely cautious in their comments, but Reuter’s correspondent gathered in informal conversations that the Arabs were not displeased with the main lines of the speech, whereas the Jews were definitely disappointed with some of its implications.

The Arabs felt that Mr Creech Jones implied that Britain recognised that partition of Palestine was not a good solution. They pointed out that Mr Creech Jones made no direct reference to partition, whereas he emphasised that Britain would only help to implement a policy which was “inherently just,” Zionists Disappointed Zionist circles expressed disappointment that Britain had not indicated her immediate ’ policy towards immigration and that she did not appear to favour the partition plan. One spokesman said that Britain’s insistence that she could only support a solution acceptable to both the Jews and the Arabs placed a virtual veto in the Arabs’ hands, since it was obvious that the Arabs were violently opposed to partition. In the final analysis the great problem facing the Assembly is: Who will enforce partition. It is pointed out that the only country able to take Britain’s place in maintaining order would be the United States.