THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1948 WHITHER PALESTINE?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26774, 18 May 1948, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1948 WHITHER PALESTINE?

During the week-end several events have taken place in and relating to Palestine, but the situation remains confused. The main events are—the end of the British Mandate, the declaration of the existence of the Jewish State of Israel, the Arab League’s formal declaration of war, the recognition of Israel by the United States, and the appointment by the United Nations of a mediator. Of these, the latter two are the only events which were unexpected and one, the weak United Nations gesture to save face after months of futility, is of least importance. At best the organisation will have now an accredited representative who can be readily approached by Jews or Arabs if they so desire. At present neither side appears to have any intention of seeking mediation; each earnestly desires peace on its own terms and on no others.

The United States recognition of the new “de facto ” State is both unexpected and inexplicable. After vigorous lobbying a few months ago the United States won United Nations support for partition, thus gratifying the Jews and annoying the Arabs. Then, a few weeks before the end of the British Mandate, the United States shelved partition in favour of a trusteeship plan which aroused the antagonism of both, Jews and Arabs. Even if the United Nations had approved this scheme, it was then too late to establish an authority on the spot before the withdrawal of British troops had created a power vacuum. Finally, with remarkable haste, Mr Truman accepted “ the inescapable fact ” that a Jewish State has come into being, although it is a State the boundaries of which are not defined and which has yet to show that it has an effective Government. United States policy has vacillated according as the Jewish-American vote or oil and military strategy in the Middle East have swung uppermost in the balance. The latest decision may seriously damage ah'eady impaired relations with the Arabs and it can hardly give more than passing satisfaction to the Jews unless it is followed by a positive expression of sympathy. Hopes of forestalling Russian support are likely to be equally illusory for the Soviet has already created material links with the Jews.

Meanwhile, in Palestine, the anticipated clash of arms has not yet taken place, apart from a few skirmishes and the demonstration bombing bythe Egyptian Air Force. Still, the spiritual leaders of the Mohammedan world have declared a jehad, a holy war—a most grave step from which retreat is unlikely without the satisfaction of wrongs real or imaginary. The Egyptian armies have moved up in the unimportant southern sector, but elsewhere, in the east and in the north, the Arab moves have been those of consolidation and preparation. Thiis, for the time being, there is a moment of pause which may continue indefinitely after the rival forces have filled out into areas roughly approximating those of the partition plan, or which may give way to general warfare at any time. It is a situation which perhaps has been inevitable since the dream of Zionism became a political force, but its existence at this time and in these circumstances has detracted measurably from the prestige of the United Nations as an international organisation.