STATE OF ISRAEL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26773, 17 May 1948, Page 5

STATE OF ISRAEL

Proclamation by Jewish Council “ LIBERTY, JUSTICE, AND PEACE ” New Zealand Press Association—Copyright LONDON, May 14. A new State—the Jewish State, of Israel—was proclaimed this afternoon in a solemn assembly of the Jewish National Council in Tel-Aviv. The proclamation said the new State was established “ by virtue of the natural historic rights of the Jewish people and by a resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations." The proclamation said the Constituent Assembly would be established not later than October 1. The present National Council would until then act as provisional. The State would be open to all Jewish immigrants, and would develop the country for all inhabitants. It would operate on the basic precepts of liberty, justice, and peace, and would uphold full social and political equality without distinction of race, creed, or sex. It would guarantee full freedom of education and culture and safeguard religious places of all religions.

The proclamation called upon the Arabs to return to the ways of peace. It promised Palestine Arabs full citizenship and representation in State bodies and institutions. The proclamation appealed to the United Nations to admit the new State to membership. The Jewish Provisional Government revoked the 1939 British White Paper

limiting immigration to Palestine, also legislation limiting land sales. Mr David Ben-Gurion has been appointed Premier and Defence Minister of the Jewish National Council, which will act as Provisional State Council for the new State of Israel. Mr Moshe Shertok is Foreign Minister.