Jews May "Reluctantly" Agree To Palestine Partition

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 October 1947, Page 5

Jews May "Reluctantly" Agree To Palestine Partition

I But Federal State Unacceptable

i (N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright.) Recd. 6.45 p.m. New York, Oct. 2 Rabbi Abba Hillil Silver, chairman of the American section of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, told the Assembly’s Palestine Committee today that the agency would "most reluctantly” accept the partition of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish States in accordance with the majority recommendation of the United Nations special committee. The committee minority recommendation for a Federal State was unacceptable, even as a basis for discussion. Rabbi Silver said any solution of the Palestine problem would require enforcement measures. The Palestine Jews were ready to defend themselves when they obtained independence, and would co-operate with any

United Nations enforcement agency. Acceptance of a partition would entail a very heavy sacrifice by the Jews and, beyond that, they could not go. Two features of the partition plan were open to objection: (1) The exclusion of Western Galillee from the proposed Jewish State would be a grievous handicap to the development of the State. (2) The Jewish section of modern Jerusalem outside the city walls should be included in the Jewish State, instead of being placed under international rule with the remainder of the city. The Palestine Committee adjourned until tomorrow. The chairman (Dr. Evatt) announced that a full and general discussion would begin then.