Egyptian Government Defends Intervention Before United Nations

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

Egyptian Government Defends Intervention Before United Nations

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. NEW YORK, May 15. A cabled notification by Egypt to the United Nations that her troops had entered Palestine brought the Security Council into an emergency session to-day. The cable said: “Egyptian forces have entered Palestine to establish security and order in place of the chaos and disorder which have rendered the country at the mercy of the Zionist terrorist gangs who have persisted in attacking the peaceful Arab inhabitants. “ Horrible crimes, revolting to the conscience of humanity, have been perpetrated by these Zionist gangs. Arab women have been attacked, children killed before the very eyes of their mothers, and prisoners tortured then brutally murdered. Egypt could not remain inactive in the face of these brutal crimes. The Egyptian Government wishes to assert that its armed intervention is not directed against the Palestine Jews, but against Zionist terrorist gangs and that this intervention hgd no other object in view except the restoration of security and order and until a just and equitable’ solution is reached.”

The Jewish Agency to-day requested that the council place on its agenda “ acts of aggression by King Abdullah of Transjordan against Palestine.” The Jewish Agency accused the Arab Legion of committing acts of aggression in spite of British assurances that the legion was being withdrawn from Palestine. Sir Alexander Cadogan said the cablegram from London reported that all Arab Legion units with the exception of two companies had left Palestine for Transjordan. The two companies were leaving to-day. Faris el Khoury faced the council with the question—what is the international status of Palestine and by what authority could the United Nations deal with the situation there?

Khoury said the termination of the mandate gave Palestine independence and this should be exercised by democratic majority rule. If the United Nations wanted to take action it should immediately organise a

plebiscite to determine the people's will. Meanwhile, there was no reason why the Arabs in Palestine should not receive help from other Arabs considering -the Palestine Jews were receiving help from all over the world. He proposed an adjournment for a few days to let the council think over Palestine’s international status. The council adjourned to May 17.