FEARS OP SUDDEN HOSTILITIES

Chronicle (Levin), 12 January 1949, Page 5

FEARS OP SUDDEN HOSTILITIES

LONDON, Jan. 11. Indications are^that Britain intends i to handle with. restraint, tke Jews' provocative aetipn in sliooting down live British aireraft, says The Tiuies* diplomatie correspondent. Tkere is also probably no desire by the British Government to complicate more than neeessary Security Council meetings whieh, it. is hoped, will see Britain and America eooperating in a more determined effo-rt than the Council has made hithei'to, to end tlie Palestine eonfict. The action Britain may eventually be required to take to protect strategic political interests in the Middle East, will doubtless be decided in the light of the outcome of negotiations at Rhodes and the Security Council discussions. Eeports that Britain intends to .carry the protest on the plane incident to the Council, is not borne out in London. The Times, in a leader, says it is not the exact details of the shooting down of the Britislt ; planes whieh cause. anxiety and apprehension but rather the possihility that Britain may have emharked tipon a course- in °justified protection of her Middle East interests, whieh may lead suddenly to hostilities with Israeli forces. The Times urges the British Government to exert every eifort to avoid the chance of further cleavage or even conflict. It advocates the i,doptioig pf common action between Britain and America, aimed at a peacei'ul settlement in Palestine. "Nothing has been of greater encouragement to the extreme aggressive policies in Israel, than the American Government's inability to declare a firm policy and take a firm line — coupled as this- dis-a-biiity has.heen, with private comfort and aid from . American citizens to Israeli ambitions. The need is rather to fix upon a new State, its duties, responsihilities, settle the limits whieh must be set to Israeli territory, call a halt to extravagant ambitions and aceord Israel its ihiportant place and no more in a key Middle East region."