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Norwegian Foreign Minister, Reportedly Lie Aide, Confers with Silver on Palestine

March 20, 1947
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Norwegian Foreign Minister Halvard M. Lange, who is here reportedly to gather information on Palestine for United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie, today met with Dr. Abba Hillel Silver.

It was learned that their conversation dealt chiefly with the problem of immigration. Lange said that the Norwegian Government has not yet decided what its position will be when the Palestine issue comes before the U.N. He disclosed that he will head his nation’s delegation at Lake Success.

Reports received here from Cairo state that the Palestine Arab Higher Committee’s attempt to secure representation at the U.N. at least in an “advisory” capacity to the Arab delegations has apparently been turned down by the Arab League Council, which is now in session. Following this defeat, the Higher Committee has decided to send its representatives to the next session of the General Assembly as “observers” with no official status. It is learned that the chief opposition to the Higher Committee’s plans came from Egypt, Iraq and Transjordan, which are fighting the aspirations of the Husseini family, of which the ex-Mufti is the head.

The sub-committee of the Agency executive, consisting of Dr. Silver, Moshe Shertok and Dr. Nahum Goldmann, which was yesterday instructed to prepare a draft of the Agency position to be submitted to the U.N. did not complete their task last night. Today’s session of the executive was devoted purely to budget matters.

Rumore are circulating here that the British Government may be considering with drawing legal recognition from the Jewish Agency. It has been learned that at a meeting. between British officials and Zionist leaders in London last month, Spanish Secretary Arthur Greech Jouce said David Ben. Gurion why the members of the Agency had been elected by the World Zionist Congress rather than by the Jewish Agency ## all as provided by the Agency Constitution. (The Council consists of both Zionists and non-Zionists.) The British Government has also sent a letter to the Agency requesting the same information.

ONE SOLDIER KILLED. FOUR WOUNDED IN NEW OUTBREAK OF TERROR

One soldier was killed tonight and four seriously wounded when a landmine blew up a military jeep on a road near Ziclron Yaacov, near Haifa.

It was reported here that Lt. Gen. G.H.A. MacMillan, military commander in Palestine, has already received the file on Moshe Barazani, Sternist, who was condemned Monday by a military court for possessing a hand grenade. Before the death sentence can be carried out it must be approved by Gen. MacMillan and High Commissioner Sir Alan G. Cunningham. Representatives of Jewish national institutions and the Chief Rabbinate are attempting to secure a reprieve.

Menahen Beigin, self-styled commander of the Irgun Zwai Leumi, tonight suggested a “plebiscite” among the Jews to decide the ways and means of conducting the fight to rid Palestine of “foreign rule.” In a broadcast over the underground “Voice of Fighting Zion” radio, Beigin urged that every Jew be asked the question: “Are you in favor of an economic, political, or military struggle to achieve an independent democratic Jewish state?”

The Palestine Government is offering rewards aggregating more than $100,000 for the arrest of Beigin and 17 other men “wanted” as members of the Irgun or Stern Group. The rewards range from $3,000-$8,000, with the highest price set on Beigin’s head. Among the others included on the list are Nathan Friedman-Yellin, Sternish chief, and Isaac Yesternitalry, Sternist deputy chief.

Editors of the Hebrew press failed to agree on a common policy concerning the publication or government advertisements featuring the photographs and descriptions of the 18 men. The editors met to discuss a joint policy following threats from the Irgun that publication of the photographs and descriptions would be considered “consecration with the authorities.”

The press is under strong pressure from the government to print the advertisements. A representative of the government information office told the editors that it was their civic duty to comply with the government request. In 1942 all Hebrew newspapers were compelled to print similar “wanted” notices.

Only a few of the editors agreed to publish the photographs, others insisted that they would not do so unless they received orders from the government, while a third group refused categorically. All condemned the dissident groups and most of them expressed opinions similar to that of the Jewish national institutions which ## to “act as informers.” The editors will meet again Friday.

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