WHAT WILL ARABS DO?

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1947, Page 5

WHAT WILL ARABS DO?

(N.Z.P.A.—

-Reuter,

Russian Idea For Partition Of Palestine

Covyright)

Received Tuesdav, 7.30 p.m. NEW YORK, Nov. 3. Russia rejected the American Palestine partition plan in a closed meetmg of the Assembly 's sub-committee on partition, today and urged United Naaions to end the British mandate on January 1, to order the British forc.es i.u withdraw by May 1 at the latest and to create Jewisli and Arab States under the Security Couneil's supervision. The Soviet suggested that the Couneil's supervision be limited to a vear or iess.

Xlr. Semyon Htarapkin (Soviet) made the following additional points, claiming that the American plan coulrl not serve as a basis for the solution of the Palestine problem : — Firstly, the Security Council should control Palestine duiing tlie transition period by means of an eleven-nation commission; secondly, t li e commission 's first assignment should be to implement the General Assemblv 's rccommendation for the Arab aiul Jewish State frontiers; thiruly, the commission should confer witn Ihe (bunocratic parties and soeial organisations of the Jews and Arabs as a preliiuinary to eiecting a provisionaJ government for eaeh State; fourthly, electious should be lield in eaeh State within six months of the establishment of the provisional governments, with the Security Council Commission apjiroving tlie voting regulations; fifthly, the novvly elected constituent assemolies of eacli State should draft the coastitutious; sixthly, the provisioutti goyernineats should estabiish a atitionaj aiilitia capable oi aiaiiitaining interuai order and ]>reventing frontier clashes. Reuter 's correspondent says the Russian proposal wtts received witli nioderate sat ist act ion in Jewisli circles but there was soiae disapjiointiaent at the leaglh of tlie transition period. Jewish spokesmen were also anxious to know if their militia forces would be

allowei] to acquire substantial armaments iiamediatel v so as to be ready to police their State after January I. .Manv diplomats believe the Russian plan lias an advantage over the AmenI ''an oue in not demanding that Britain I police Palestine during the transition j period but botli the American and Soviet jilans are predicated on the J assunipt ion tliat there will be no large j scale aiilitarv hostilities. Jewish circles would jirefer that full indepeadence be granted on July 1, J 948. instead of January 1, 1949, though some more modertite Jewisli sjiokesmen eoneede tliat severn 1 montlts will be required to olect j ihe Constituent Assemblies and draft | ihe const itutions. j ^ American otiicial reaction to the J.Siniet proposals is not unfavourable on j the whole. General John Hiidring, American delegate to the Palestine Gommittee, said informallv that his onlv serious doubt was whether the j unaller countries would be willing to five such wide powers to the Securitv Council. The correspondent adds: "Behind all tliese pians and counterjilans, the diplomats are still asking the maia questioh: A hat \vill the Arabs do .X The United I I i ess points out that ihe confiicting Soviet and American views heightened the doubt that the Assembly could linish tlie Palestine task this year. "