Second Cease-fire Order Issued by United Nations

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26779, 24 May 1948, Page 5

Second Cease-fire Order Issued by United Nations

Rec. 11.30 p.m. NEW YORK, -May 22. The United Nations Security Council failed to-night to accept an American and Russian demand for strong United Nations action to stop the Palestine war. Instead the Council issued its second demand <Jn the Arabs and Jews to cease fire and fixed the deadline at 36 hours after midnight (New York Standard Time to-night). The final vote on the much amended resolution was B—o, with Syria, Russia and the Soviet Ukraine abstaining. The question of the United Nations using force really was decided, however, when the Security Council did not approve the United States demand that it declare that a threat to peace exists in Palestine, which would have laid the ground work for the United Nations to take stringent steps to stop the war.

Mr Warren Austin (United States), supporting the American proposal, said the Council should put King Abdullah of Transjordan “ where he belongs.” The vote on the United States proposal 'was s—o, with six nations, including Britain, abstaining. A majority of seven was necessary. Before the final vote was taken, Mr Austin served notice that the United States will call for further action if the cease-fire order is not observed. Four Arab States and Israel replied to-day to the Security Council questionnaire on the political and military situation in Palestine. The provisional Government of Israel stated that it actually exercised control at present over the entire area of the Jewish State as defined in the General Assembly’s partition resolution, and declared that Jewish forces were operating outside Israel to protest for Jewish populations and as part of an essentially defensive plan. Israel said it would agree to an immediate unconditional truce for Jerusalem. It was the first time that the Jews had not attached any conditions for such a truce. Egypt. Iraq, Syria, and the Lebanon said:

First: No negotiations could proceed with the Jewish authorities for any political settlement in Palestine as long as the Jews insisted on a separate State.

Secondly: The Arab State's military objectives were not directed against Palestine Jews, but against “ the armed insurrection of Zionist terrorist bands.”

Thirdly: The Arab State’s political objective was to establish a unitary democratic regime, with equal rights for all.

Fourthly: Arab forces were operating in Palestine without any discrimination between areas where Jews or Arabs were in the majority, as they considered Palestine as one State.