Jews and Arabs Renew Determination to Defend Rights in Palestine

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26628, 26 November 1947, Page 5

Jews and Arabs Renew Determination to Defend Rights in Palestine

Rec. 9 p.m. * NEW YORK, Nov. 24. Mohamed Hussein Heykal Pasha (Egypt) told the Assembly’s Palestine Committee to-day that the lives of millions of defenceless Jews throughout the Middle East would be endangered if the United Nations forced the partition of Palestine on the Arab world. “If Arab blood is shed in Palestine, Jewish blood will be shed elsewhere. The peoples of the Orient will aid their brothers,” he said. Mr Semyon Tsarapkin (Soviet) charged Britain with trying to prevent a solution of the Palestine problem by making reservations which deprived the United Nations of all means of settlement. Russia, he said, would vote for the partition plan because it was in the interests of both Arabs and Jews and would object to efforts to postpone a decision under any pretext.

Answering the Egyptian delegate's challenge. Moshe Shertok. of the Jewish Agency, declared: “The Jewish people do not propose to be deterred by such threats.” Shertok referred to the number of delegations which proposed to abstain from voting, and said: " What will happen if abstentions cauS'.the defeat of partition? What will happen if the Assembly washes its hands of the whole business? “ The British withdrawal will leave Arabs and Jews in circumstances where a clash is unavoidable. Such clash. will occur against a background of. complete abdication of authority of the United Nations. Such clash would be much graver than any complication which might arise if partition is adopted. “In such a clash Jews would not find themselves alone in the struggle, and the United Nations should ponder the complications if country after country becomes involved in such conflict.”

Jamal Husseini. speaking for tne Arab Higher Committee, said the Arabs were prepared to take over from the British Administration, the Government of Palestine, with all responsibilities, in the shortest possible time, and were prepared to assume responsibility for keeping law and order in Palestine and give full protection to all minorities. “We are solidly and permanently cleteimined to fight to the last man igainst the existence in our country of any Jewish State, no matter how small. If such a state is established, it can only be established over ohr dead bodies,” he said. , The committee to-night rejected the Arab proposal to refer the legality of the proposed partition plan to the International Court of Justice. The proposal was voted on in two parts. The first, dealing with the legality of creating a partitioned Palestine, was rejected by 25 votes to 18, with 11 abstentions and three delegates absept. The second part, dealing with the legality of the United Nations enforcement of partition was rejected by 21 votes to 20, with 13 abstentions and three delegates absent. The commit-

tee rejected the Arab single State plan under which Jews would live as the minority. The voting was 20 to 12, with 14 abstentions and two delegates absent.

On the Arab proposal, first, that the countries of origin should be required to take back Jewish refugees and displaced persons belonging to them, and secondly, that those who could not be returned should be absorbed in territories of members of the United Nations, the voting was level, 16—16, with 23 abstentions and two delegates absent, The proposal therefore will be given to the General Assembly in its plenary session for a decision.

The United States and Russia voted solidly against all Arab sponsored propositions. wjhile Britain consistentlyabstained. After approving several minor amendments dealing ;> with Holy places, the committee adjourned till to-morrow, when it is expected to vote on the basic partition plan.