TRUCE DOUBTFUL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22624, 29 April 1948, Page 5

TRUCE DOUBTFUL

JERUSALEM’S FATE ARAB AND JEW TERMS U.N. COUNCIL DEBATE (10 a.m.) NEW YORK. April 28. Jewish and Arab representatives told the United Nations Trusteeship Council, in a private session, that they would agree to a truce covering Jerusalem but both parties imposed conditions which make the prospects of agreement dubious. Mr Moshe Shertok, the Jewish Agency’s political officer, said the agency had approved the immediate cessation of hostilities in Jerusalem, but said that the safety of the holy places could not be assured without also considering the safety of the city's inhabitants. The people inside the proposed safety zone needed food and water, and the agency therefore proposed that the truce should cover certain roads giving access to Jerusalem. Mr Shertock also said the Arab Higher Committee could give an undertaking only on behalf of the Arabs in Palestine. Provision should therefore be made in the truce terms to guard against the danger of armed Intervention by outside Arab forces. Jamal Husseini the Arab Higher Committee's representative, agreed that Jerusatem was a “place of sanctity" but the Palestine Arabs would agree to a cease-fire order only If the Haganah forces were withdrawn from their positions inside the city. He considered it would be difficult to arrange any truce to include the entire Jerusalem municipal area and the surrounding roads. In any case, he would have to cable to the Higher Arab Committee for instructions of the whole questionThe committee adjourned without agreement until today. The United Press says that the United Nations, 11 days after meeting to consider Palestine’s fate, is still bogged down in recriminations, indecision and an atmosphere of futility. There is little hope of establishing a workable Government for the Holy Land in the 18 days left before Britain surrenders tHe nmnaate. One grim fact hangs over the delegates as they drone on —it is most unlikely that the United Nations can prevent w ar in Padestine. Individual delegates admit that chances are increasing that the Jews and Arabs will just have to fight it out. The Jewish Agency today demanded firm action by the United Nations to halt any Arab invasion of Palestine. First Wave of Aggression Mr. Moshe Shertok, the agency’s spokesman, warned the political comImittee of the special Assembly on Palestine that the Jews of Palestine were “making every possible preparation to meet the next phase of the onslaught with their own forces.” Jewish fighters, he said, had already broken the first wave of Arab aggression and whether the second Arab wave would begin depended largely upon international reaction. "If Transjordan brings war to Palestine the British Government will be responsible,” he said. “If the whole issue is not placed on the agenda of the political committee and the Secur-

ity Council it cannot be said that the United Nations is dealing with the realities of the Palestine crisis.” Mr. Philip Jessup, United_ States, renewed his appeals for Jewish-Arab co-operation and pressed for acceptance of the United States proposal for a temporary United Nations’ trusteeship in Palestine. Mr, John Hood, Australia, urged the Umted States to present more specific details of its plan for trusteeship. “The committee surely is entitled tc. expect from the United States a much more exact statement on what it ! regards as the desirable procedure i from its point of view,” he added. Over Russian objections and with Britain and Australia abstaining, the committee agreed to start a detailed discussion of the United States trusteeship plan. Token Police Force Urged France proposed in the U.N. Trusteeship Council today that a token police force of 1000 non-Palestinian volunteers should be formed immediately to pro tect Jerusalem. M. Roger Garrcau, France, said: “There is not a moment to lose. The honour of the United Nations is involved. We must achieve something tangible. Even if we have to sit all night.” Dr. Khalidy, Iraq, agreed to support the French plan on condition it was purely a temporary measure. Mr. A. Creech Jones, Britain, stated that all British troops would be withdrawn from Jerusalem soon after May 15 and the plans for withdrawal were too advanced to reconsider. He added that Jerusalem was doomed to destruction unless a truce was attained throughout Palestine. Russia, for the first time, took its in the council which has been directed by the Assembly to work out a way of protecting Jerusalem.