BRITAIN ACCUSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26778, 22 May 1948, Page 7

BRITAIN ACCUSED

“ Party in Palestine War ” CHARGES BY THE UKRAINE New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. NEW YORK, May 20. Mr Vassily Tarasenko (Ukraine), to-day accused Britain of participating in the Palestine war. Speaking during the Security Council debate on the situation in the Holy Land, Mr Tarasenko contended that Britain not only had inspired the invasion by Transjordan’s Arab Legion, but also ' was an actual party in the war because the Legion was subsidised by Britain and led by British officers. “ The Arab Legion is part of the United Kingdom’s armed forces. We have legal and factual basis to say that the United Kingdom is one of the belligerents.” Mr Tarasenko spoke after the Council’s Truce Commission had reported that its peace efforts had been rebuffed. The commission said the Jewish Agency yesterday suggested an armistice in the fighting in the walled section pf Jerusalem. The Jewish proposals were transmitted to the Arabs but no answer had so far been received. The commission emphasised “ that the only way to stop bloodshed would be to exert strong pressure on all parties concerned.” The commission also reported that King Abdullah of Transjordan had replied with a tirade against the Jews when the commission had approached him at Amman.

General McNaughton (Canada) supported the British resolution calling for peaceful mediation of the dispute, saying that approval of the American resolution (which calls on the council to find that there is a threat to peace in Palestine which might entail application of economic and military sanctions) would launch the council on a path of coercion. ' “Before deciding on such coercive measures, the Big Five should hold private consultations to see Now far they are willing or able to take sucn measures,” said General McNaughton. M. Alexandre Parodi (France) said he would support the American proposal. “From the day when regular national forces entered territories not belonging to them it became clear that international peace was at stake,” said M. Parodi. Faris el Khoury (Syria) argued that in the India-Pakistan case the council did not consider that there was any threat to peace in spite of thousands of casualties in the fighting. How could the council find that there was a threat to peace when the majority of Palestine inhabitants had appealed for help from their neighbours to suppress a rebellion? Senor Alfonso Lopez (Columbia) demanded that the council establish a commission of “ outstanding men respected by the Jews and Arabs ” to mediate Palestine peace. The council adjourned until to-mor-row without voting.