BRITAIN MAY OFFER PARTITION FOR PALESTINE

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1947, Page 5

BRITAIN MAY OFFER PARTITION FOR PALESTINE

Press Assn-

By Telegraph

Govyrig.lt

Received Afonday, 11.50 p.m, LOXDON, Jan. 6. The Oovernment's plan for Palestine which Cabinet is expeeted to diseuss today and? make a dec.skm on Tliursd'ay \vi II, it is suggested, have two main objeets, says the Daily Telegraph 's diploniatic eoi'i'espondent. These are the adoption oi' strong military measures against the terrorists and Ihe ultiniate • division oi Palestine into Arai) and Jewish stateg. The military measures may invol've martial law and the arrest oi' all suspected members of the Lrgim Svai Leumi and the Stern (!ang. There would be 110 repressive measures against the Ilaganah, the Jewish del'enee I'oree. Punitive measures would be takeii against all villages and eolonies l'rom which there have been attaeks on British i'orees, all unauthorised Jewish migrants iu Palestine would be interned either in (Vprus or a new eamp to be established in Kenya. The suggested sche.me, which it is believed, would not operate until Mareh, depends on the cessation oi' terrorism. It is thought to provide for an Arai) state oi 60 por cent oi Palestine and a Jewish state oi 40 per eent. the latter having an autonomous ( Jovernment, the status oi a British Dominion, its own flag, a l'oreign minisler and an armv. Sueh a plan would ha faced with great difficulties as Ihe Arabs would resist any partition plan. The Times' Jerusalem eoi-respondent says: ''The possibility of the Administrat ion being driven 1o impose.the sternest iorm of rule il all atlempts and appenls to ourb the terrorists are in vain has made an uneoiii fortable impression on Ihe Jews in Palestine. So mueli eommenl has aljoady appoared in the Jewish press thal the eensor has deeided to forbid l'rom publiealion on January 6 most oi" the extraets on the subjeet from the Sunday newspapers in Britain eabled to Palestine. "The needle oi Jewish comment swings eonlinuyusly away ii'om the point oi saying that some.thing must be done by Ihe Jews to lialt their extremists. It preiers to hover on Ihe jioint that all hope oi amicable relations between Ihe Jews and Britain is d'isappearing and Brilain has her poliey to blame for the activity oi ihe terrorists. "This is the rceurring theme oi Jewish talk whieh refuses to see that this evil thing whieh has grown up will never be sated by eoneession. It is in orderto restrain sueh unhel])!ul comment that London ])ress extraets are being censored though this is arguable. It mighl be healthv I'or the Jews in Palestine to kuow all that is beinir said about them abroad." Irgun Zvai Leumi 's seeret radio announced that flaniet hrowers would be used again. It added that those used on January 2 wero Brilish orehard spray er$ eonverted in undei-ground workshops.