Jews, Arabs Firm In Attitude To Talks

Northern Advocate, 26 August 1946, Page 5

Jews, Arabs Firm In Attitude To Talks

(Rec. 11.0 a.m.) JERUSALEM. Aug. 25. The president of the Zionist Congress (Dr Chaim Wiezmann) sent a letter to the British Colonial Secretary revealing the conditions under which the Jewish Agency is prepared to participate in the London Conference.

The agency would only join in discussion of a plan envisaging Jewish statehood. The agency must have full freedom in designating its own delegates. including those under detention.

The Arab Higher Committee has decided to accept the British Government's invitation to participate in talks in London "providing the Arab delegation includes the Grand Mufti." It is reported from Bagdad that the Iraki Government also has accepted an invitation to the talks on the condition that neither Jews nor the United States is represented at the conference.

Arab leaders in Palestine did not hope for success in the London talks, said Jamal Husseini, of the Arab Higher Committee, in a statement. He added that the only hope from them was to reach an insoluble conflict of interests between the British and Arab states which were members of the United Nations so that there would be a legal basis for presenting the Arab case to the General Assembly.

This was their only positive idea in accepting the invitation to London.