Situation In Palestine Steadily Worsening

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 January 1948, Page 5

Situation In Palestine Steadily Worsening

UNITED NATIONS SEES CHAOS WHEN BRITISH LEAVE (N.Z.P.A.— Copyright.) Received 6.10 p.m. ' NEW YORK, Jan. 26 The United Nations Commission has agreed that the Palestine situation is steadily worsening and will verge on chaos when the British give up control of the Holy Land about May 15, says the United Press. This conclusion is contained in a report for the Security Council, which the commission is preparing behind closed doors after a fortnight of closed meetings. The report refers to the need for an international army to enforce the partition against Arab objections and will disclose Sir Alexander Cadogan’s evidence that the Jewish claim that they are fighting a purely defensive war in Palestine was not tenable. He said the Jews were trying to. consolidate their advantages by a succession of drastic operations designed to intimidate the Arabs and cure them of any desire for more conflict. Botli the Jews and the Arabs were attacking and carrying on reprisals indistinguishable from attacks. The report will also record that the Jewish Agency for Palestine, in addition to requesting the commission to speed the formation of a Jewish militia of 30,000 to 35,000 men, asked the commission for an Air Force totalling about 100.