"Quicker We Get Out The Better," Says Bevin

Chronicle (Levin), 25 March 1948, Page 5

"Quicker We Get Out The Better," Says Bevin

Received' "Wednesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Marcli 24.* The fundamental point in Britaifi's poiicy regarding Palestine — tliat her mandate ends 011 May 15 and her troops leave August 1 — remains unaffectecl by the new AmericaiT'proposal for a temporary trust eeship. This was emphatically stated in the C-ommoiis • last ni»ht by Mr. Ernest Bevin, who intervened specially in the debate on the Uommittee stage oi' the Palestine Bill in responsew to Opposition pressure for a clarification of the. (Jovernnient's ^ position. • * . Mr. Bevin said the Oovernment would snpport anything which eould be agreed between Arabs and Jews, but they would not take part in enforeing anything, whether a trusteeship or something else, on either party. That had been the Oovernment 's attitude all the wny through and he wish.ed other people had realised what enforeement meant before they voted so easily. The Oovernment could not antici]>ate the further U.N.O. disciissions and they would remain neutral until they knew what the Assembly proposed, but he emphasised that nothing the Assepibly nnght do eould now affeet our eoming out of Palestine. .Mr. Bevin also emphasised strongly that Britain could not be in Ihe same position as other U.N.O. members until s,he. Avas out of Palestine. After May 15 anolher situation might arise, but the fundamental position of Britisb poiicy was to be out. He stoutly (Jcnied that Britain was handing Palestine over tb chaos. Britain was handing it over to U.N.O. "If other people liave got it into a muddle Avhy should the British Oovernment be blamed? "We were blamed . because Ave did not do right in Palestine when we Avere* responsible. AVe are blamed fwhen Ave are trying to get out, and we are blamed for Avhat is to happen when we liave got out. So I think the quicker we get out the better." Mr. Bevin made his statement on clalise 1 of the Bill Avhich provides for the termination of British jurisdiction in Palestine and the clause was agreed to with out a division. After xitting till 3 a.m. the Commons passed the Palestine Bill providing for the ending of British jurisdiction on May 15. The Bill now goe's to the Lords. The decision to proelaim a Jewish State was announced by the Jewish Agencv and National Jewish council in a joint statement afler a tAvo-day meeting in Tel Aviv. says the Times' Jerusalem correspondent. The statement said they Avould oppose even a temporary trusteeship and demaiuled the immediate recognition oi the Jewish ' Provisional (rovernnient. Tt said that after "May 15 the Jcavs Avould cooperate Avith the United Nations in combating lerror and Avorking essential services, and reiterated that the JeAvs had 110 quarrel Avith the Arabs. A Ncav York message states'that despite the United States' decision to abandon Palestine partition th'e United Nations' Palestine Commission decided todav to go ahead with the partition programme on the ground that only the Oeneral Assembly can instruct it to stop Avork.