Hope That Truce Will Start In Palestine On Thursday; Count Bernadotte's Negotiations

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 June 1948, Page 5

Hope That Truce Will Start In Palestine On Thursday; Count Bernadotte's Negotiations

(N.Z.P. A.—Copyright. > Received 11.10 p.m. LONDON, June 7 The United Nations mediator in Palestine, Count Bernadotte, announced, when ho arrived from Amman, the capital of Transjordan, that the next 24 to 36 hours should see a decision, one way or the other, in regard to a truce in the Holy Land.

Reliable quarters say that the truce is likely to begin on Thursday. Meanwhile, the seriousness o£ the situation in Palestine is being stressed. “This war can spread like wildfire until everybody is involved. America and Russia are both playing a dangerqus game .“•■ «ieir own reasons," said King Abdulla!:, after he had met Count Bernadotte at Amman yesterday. “This has become a problem affecting not only Palestine, but also Asia and Africa." Count Bernadotte who is discussing the truce proposals with the opposing sides, earlier had talks in Beirut with the Lebanese Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and Syrian Prime

Minister and the Iraq Foreign Minister. He then flew to Haifa for discussions with Moshe Shertok (Foreign Minister in the Israel Government) before proceeding to Apiman. After ' meeting Count Bernadotte, Mr. Shertok indicated that Count Bernadotte j would soon give the Arabs and Jews ! his proposals for a Palestine truce. : Shertok added that he felt that I Count Bernadotte’s proposals, if i thought unacceptable, would not be 1 considered final and that the Jews | would have the right to appeal to the i United Nations. I The British United Press Amman I correspondent says that an uncon- ! firmed but reliable report says that a ’ cease-fire will be ordered for 8 p.m., I on Thursday. Meanwhile fighting continues throughout Palestine.