Israel will Disobey U.N.O. Mediator’s Order to Leave the Negev

Grey River Argus, 16 November 1948, Page 5

Israel will Disobey U.N.O. Mediator’s Order to Leave the Negev

(Rec. 9.15). LONDON, Nov. 15. Mr Aubrey Eban, the representative of Israel to the United Nations, told an international conference at Paris on Jewish relief and rehabilitation, that Israel will not-comply with the order of the United Nations mediator, Dr Bunche, to evacuate the Negev. The British United Press correspondent at Paris says: Mr Eban said: Israel is determined to resist any tampering with its frontiers. The Negev is essential to fill a desperate need of homeless Jews for a free, independent life. U.N.O. Plan~FoT Negev Settlement PARIS, November 14. The United Nations Security Council’s. Palestine Committee, on which seven nations are represented, has approved the plan to demilitarise the Negev area of Palestine, proposed by Dr. Bunche, U.N.O. Mediator. The United States, Britain, China, France, Belgium and Columbia supported the plan. Russia abstained from voting. M. Malik (Russia) said that the plan would provide an “equitable” solution, but it was not realistic to assume that the present corps United States Observers in Palestine could control the Negev. He added that there was no reason to demilitarise the Negev. , The committee authorised Dr. Bunche to send the Jews and rhe Arabs an order to establish tiuce lines until a permanent settlement could be achieved. The Jewish Government has received a formal order from the mediator Dr Bunche, to establish a demilitarised zone in Negev, withdraw the Israeli forces behind this line by November 19, and return Beersheba to the Arabs. " . ' A Jewish Foreign Office spokesman declared that the order was “astounding and unrealistic”. The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ben-Gurion, immediately called a special Cabinet session for to-night.