NEW TURN TO DISCUSSIONS ON PALESTINE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 March 1948, Page 8

NEW TURN TO DISCUSSIONS ON PALESTINE

NEW YORK, March 16.

A tentative fotir-Power agreement on Palestine collapsed tonight when France afid the United States withdrew their approval of a resolution which declared that there was now a threat to world peace in the 'Holy Land.

The switch by France . and the United States was apparently caused by Mr Faris el Khoury’s declaration before the Security Council today that Syria would not interfere in the fighting in Palestine if no other foreign force took part. Earlier today the United States, Russia, France,, and China reported to the Security Council that they were hot agreed on the course which the Council should follow in dealing with the Palestine partition problem. Tonight’s action by France and the United States thus leaves the whole Palestine problem as intractable as ever. Arab Stand Mr Faris el Khoury made the following points for his Government: — (1) Arab volunteers from outside Palestine were very, few compared with the number of illegal armed Jewish immigrants. (2) The Arab States favoured any solution of the Palestine problem which would preserve the unity of the State in accordance with the principles of democracy and the United Nations Charter. i . (3) The Arab States had not interfered so far, and would not interfere in the Palestine fighting so long as no outside force participated. The Council heard an appeal from M Camille Chamoun (Lebanon). to the United States to cease supporting partition. He gave an indirect warning that the Middle East oil wells might be closed to the United States and that Communism might spread through immigration if Arao resistance to partition were weakened. He advised American politicians to “stop playing with fire for the sake of local interests.” The Council adjourned the discussion until Friday. From Beirut it is reported that the Mufti of Jerusalem has arrived unexpectedly to attend a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Arab League States. Their purpose is “to organise policy and’ plans according to developments” in the Palestine situation. Progress Of Evacuation “A British military announcement giving the first details of the evacuation of men and stores from Palestine says that several thousand troops and 145.000’ tons of stores, including 2000 tons of ammunition and 1800 Royal Air Force and Army vehicles, have already been withdrawn,” says the Jerusalem correspondent oi ine Times. “Some of the stores are being taken straight to*the United Kingdom, and as much as possible of the non-mili-tary material which is not required is being sold to the highest bidder, but the announcement emphasises that no arms or ammunition will be sold or left behind. . “It also points out that Haifa is the only suitable withdrawal port ana that sufficient, shipping has only just become available. The aim is to load 16,000 tons of stores a month, rising t0’20,000 tons.”