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Problem of Frontiers of Jewish and Arab States in Palestine Stumps British Govt.

January 17, 1947
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While the majority of the British Cabinet is reliably reported to have swung around to the belief that autonomy for the Jews in Palestine–meaning partition and a Jewish state–is the only solution of the Palestine question, the problem of the delineation of Jewish and Arab areas is considered an almost insuperable obstacle.

To reduce Arab opposition to partition, the official view is that the smallest possible Arab minority must be included in the projected Jewish state. This naturally means that the state will be small, possibly no larger than the Jewish territory envisaged in the Morrison-Grady “federalization” scheme.

Another factor militating against an adequately-sized Jewish state is the insistence that the Arab state established in the rest of the country must be a “viable state,” since the Husseini faction among the Palestine Arabs violently opposes incorporation with Transjordan under the rule of King Abdullah. This would mean a further reduction of the area to be incorporated into the Jewish state and the inclusion of more developed areas in the Arab state.

It is understood that at present, however, no suggestions on frontiers are being advanced by the British Government to the Jewish Agency.

LEADING MEMBERS OF WORLD ZIONIST EXECUTIVE ASSEMBLE IN LONDON

A meeting of leading members of the World Zionist executive is scheduled to take place here early next week to map the basis demands on which the Zionist leaders will not compromise during their informal talks with representatives of the Government pending formal negotiations for a solution of the Palestine problem.

Dr. Emanuel Neumann, American member of the executive, arrived here today to participate in the meeting. Others who will attend include David Ben Gurion, Dr. Moshe Sneh, S. Z. Shragai, Professor Selig Brodetsky, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, and Berl Locker.

British circles are favorably impressed by the fact that these members of the executive will be in London when the Conference on Palestine resumes. They feel that they constitute a “shadow delegation” which will be authorized to make important decisions concerning possible participation in the Conference.

PALESTINE ISSUE MAY BE PLACED BEFORE UNITED NATIONS BY BRITAIN OR JEWS

Informed Jewish circles today indicated, however, that as matters stand now there is almost no possibility of Zionist participation in the London talks, because Zionist leaders do not expect that the Government will change its policy on

It is understood that the executive leaders who will assemble here next week will submit to the Government suggestions concerning both its immediate policy on Palestine as well as long-term policy. The demands with regard to the immediate policy will be: cancellation of the White Paper, opening Palestine to large-scale Jewish immigration and the abrogation of the discriminatory land laws. The major demand with regard to the long-term policy will be the establishment of Western Palestine as a Jewish State.

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