UNO Commission To Proceed With Partition Plan

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 6

UNO Commission To Proceed With Partition Plan

NEW YORK, April 3... In spite of the Security Council’s decision to convene a special session of the United Nations Assembly to reconsider the whole Palestine problem, the United Nations Palestine Commission decided yesterday to to proceed with its partition plans. The decision was made on a four to one vote, wtih Czechoslovakia, Bolivia the Philippines and Panama in favour of it, and Denmark against it. The majority opinion was that the commission had received instructions from the Assembly and that only the Assembly could reverse them. The Danish delegate felt that the decision to proceed with partition would add fire to inflamed passions at a time when all efforts should be concentrated on pacifying the parties in Palestine. Doubt Expressed A key-delegate at the United Nations today expressed doubt that the United Nations would reverse its decision to partition Palestine. He said it would be extremely difficult to marshal a two-thirds majority of the 57 nations to overthrow the partition resolution of November 29. In Jerusalem a broadcast appeal for a truce was made by the British High Commissioner (General Sir Alan Cunningham). He said that the Palestine Government was ready to discuss with Arab and Jewish civil and military leaders details for a cease-fire agreement. “I ask them to consider fully what possible good can come from continued violence,” said General Cunningham. “This Government is only remaining with you a short time longer. I am anxious during that period to do all in my power to negotiate and maintain a cease-fire agreement.” Arab-Jew Reaction The secretary of the Arab League Higher Committee (Hussein Khahdi) said that an armistice would not serve useful purposes unless the United Nations partition plan was scrapped and the Zionists renounced their ambitions to establish a Jewish State in Palestine. . The Arabs would fight any international force trying to establish a security zone in Jerusalem after the British left, said Hussein Khalidi. “We are not fighting the Jews, but invaders led by zealots from the Russian area of Europe who lust for political domination over this area,” he said. “The Arabs cannot accept a truce with the Jews in Jerusalem. The Jewish Agency declared that acceptance by all parties of the United Nations partition resolution should precede any preliminary discussions for a truce.