EFFORTS FAIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26771, 14 May 1948, Page 5

EFFORTS FAIL

EMERGENCY REGIME JEWS AND ARABS REJECT PALESTINE PLAN UNITED NATIONS PROBLEM N.Z.P.A.—Copyright Rec. 8.30 p.m. NEW YORK, May 13. With the British mandate ending in 48 hours, the United Nations efforts to establish an emergency regime met with complete failure to-day, as both Jews and Arabs flatly rejected all the main points of the plan. Informed quarters say that there are now only two chances of a temporary solution being reached in time—first, it is believed that the United States is preparing some plan; secondly, Inc United Nations may compromise and adopt a solution which is acceptable only to the Jews, namely, a mediation regime which should not prejudice the chances of eventual partition. Meanwhile, the committees will continue discussions, although the delegates admit privately that the outlook is hopeless. A sovereign Jewish State will be proclaimed at midnight on Friday, says the United Press. The provisional Cabinet made the decision last night after a nine-hour discussion behind closed doors. Religious dignitaries granted political leaders exemption from the orthodox law which prohibits even writing on the Jewish Sabbath, which begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. At the United Nations last night the United States proposed that the United Nations appoint a High Commissioner to Palestine and terminate the authority of the Palestine Commission, which was established by the General Assembly in November to supervise the carrying out of the partition. The High Commissioner would be selected by the Big Five. He would not have governmental power, but would arrange for common services in the Holy Land and endeavour to promote Jewish-Arab agreement on a future Palestine Government. Jerusalem Withdrawal

From London it is reported that- a British official communique issued in Jerusalem to-day announced that the British garrison in Jerusalem will leave for Haifa on May 14, and added that the mandate ends legally at midnight, local time, on May 14. British troops and police, with kitbags packed, are meanwhile standing by ready to pull out at a moment’s notice. A single - bagpiper will at midnight on May 14 sound the end of tire British mandate in Palestine, and the boatswain of H.M.S. Euryalus will a few hours later pipe the departure of the High Commissioner, Sir Alan Cunningham, from Haifa to England.

The British United Press Jerusalem correspondent reports that the United Nations Secretariat, headed by Dr Pablo Azcarate, will form an emergency regime in Palestine when the British mandate ends. Dr Azcarate said vthe secretariat’s immediate responsibility would be to arrange a truce over all Palestine. To this end it would (collaborate with the United Nations Truce Commission. » Two large troopships, the for Britain and the Empire Test for Benghazi, sailed from Haifa to-day with over 2000 troons on board. Arabs Bewildered The correspondent says the Arab population is bewildered and leaderless. In Damascus to-day an Arab League official said the league will establish an Arab civil Administration in Palestine after May 15 to cooperate with the Arab military forces. The Arab city of Jaffa surrendered to Haganah, following talks between Arab and Jewish leaders. The agreement provides for the appointment of a Haganah military commander, Haganah occupation of Government, municipal ' and strategic buildings, Jewish supervision of the port of Jaffa, recognition by Haganah of an Arab Civil Committee, and the establishment of a joint Jewish-Arab committee to control food and essential services. Jewish Forces’ Gains The Jews have already infiltrated or stormed at gunpoint into 60 per cent, of Jerusalem, says Reuter’s correspondent. Haganah patrols to-night were less than 400 yards from the six-storey Government Information Office. In Jerusalem Haganah reported that an armoured column of King Abdullah’s Arab Legion had launched a heavy attack on Kfar Etzion, a Jewish settlement on Hebron Hill, five miles from Jerusalem.

The British United Press correspondent at Amman says lorry loads of Arab Legion troops, chanting Bedouin war songs, moved through Amman today on their way to Palestine. Arab Liberation Army headquarters in Damascus to-night claimed that forces under Fawzi el Kawakji had launched a successful counter-attack against the Jews at Bab el Wad roadblock, on the Jerusalem-Tei-Aviv road, and claimed to have reclosed the Jewish supply route to the coast. Haganah claimed that the Arab town of Beisan surrendered this afternoon after a bombardment. The Haganah commander said three-quarters of the Arab population had fled and that Iraqi soldiers were taken prisoner. The capture of Beisan means that the Jews, who have already claimed that they hold Tiberias and Safad, now control the roads connecting the Jewish settlements north and south of the Sea of Galilee. '

The British United Press correspondent in Beirut says the Arab Higher Committee claimed that Arab forces captured the Jewish settlement of Kfar Anabeem and el Akhawat Elkhems, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, on the main Tel-Aviv road.

In Jerusalem, the British Com-mander-in-Chief, General Macmillan, said the British troops remaining in Palestine after midnight on May 14 would be withdrawn “with the greatest possible speed.” The Associated Press correspondent in Jerusalem reports that the cease-fire was broken in Jerusalem for the second consecutive night with intermittent rifle and machine-gun fire. Reuter’s Tel-Aviv correspondent says the Jewish mobilisation authorities to-night broadcast an urgent appeal to all ex-servicemen hitherto exempted from military service to report immediately for duty. Toll of Dead The Under-secretary for the Colonies, Lieutenant-colonel David ReesWilhams, said in the House of Commons to-day that 213 members of the armed forces, 77 police, .and 28 other British persons were killed in Palestine between July 1, 1946, and May 5. 1948.

Aproximately 1400 Arabs and 1100 Jews were killed. A Cairo message says that the Egyptian Government has decided to declare a “state of siege” throughout Egypt from May 15, under which the Prime Minister, Nokrashy Pasha, will become military governor of Egypt. The action is for the “ security of the military forces, the maintenance of their lines of communication and supplies, and for publication of Military news in the press.” All Egyptian Army leave has been cancelled as from May 15.