The Jewish Agency will reject any proposal by the United Nations for the establishment of Palestine as a bi-national state, Moshe Shertok, head of the political department of the Jewish Agency, told a press conference today. He revealed that the Agency will emphasize to the U.N. inquiry committee the compelling need to establish a Jewish state.
The possibility that the Agency may suggest to the committee, which starts hearings here next week, that it make interim recommendations was also indicated by Shertok. He said that he was not aware of any conscious effort on the part of the Great Powers to agree on the Palestine question.
The Agency testimony before the committee will attack the British White Paper policy, its illegalities and iniquities, and will denounce its pernicious effects, Shertok declared. It will stress the need and the possibility for large-scale immigration and settlement of Jews in Palestine in the light of historic Jewish rights and burning actualtties.”
Asked whether the Agency will press for the creation of a Jewish state in the whole of Palestine, Shertok replied that the Agency “will say what the Jewish people are entitled to.” A meeting of the Agency executive to draft the language of the presentation will be held on Friday, he added.
DR. WEIZMANN WILL ASK FOR A JEWISH STATE IN PART OF PALESTINE
Dr. Chaim Weizmann, who has been asked by the Jewish National Council to be its principal witness at the committee in behalf of Palestine Jewry, was reported today to have completed the draft of his testimony. He will criticize the British
In the face of strong opposition from various groups which oppose the appearance of Dr. Weizmann as spokesman for the Council, he will testify in the name of the council only if he is satisfied that a considerable part of Palestine Jewry and of the Zionist movement favor such a move. Otherwise, he has already made arrangements ## invite the inquiry committee to his home in Rehovoth, where he will state his views privately.
The Council is still in favor of Dr. Weizmann’s appearance, without conditions ?inding him to any specific political conclusions, because of his record as the longtime leader of the World Zionist movement and a participant in the drafting of the ?alfour Declaration. Dr. Weizmann has not received any visitors during the last fortnight, and has been devoting all his time to preparation of his testimony.
The Agudas Israel today asked the Agency to demand of the inquiry committee the establishment of a “Torah regime” within a Jewish state. The Agency replied that it cannot commit itself to any such stand, since the constitution of the future Jewish state will depend entirely upon its parliament.
HIGHER EXECUTIVE PLACES INQUIRY GROUP “OUT OF BOUNDS” TO ARABS
King Abdullah of Transjordan today urged the Arab states not to boycott the committee, but demanded that they “do not yield an inch of ground on the demand for Arab rights in Palestine. I believe the Arabs must back the United Nations for building peace in the world. The duty of Palestinian Arabs and other Arab states is to ?ave and not to sell even an inch of land to the Jews. Palestine will be saved and remain an Arab land,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the Mufti-dominated Palestine Arab Higher Executive and the Arab league seem to have split on the question of the U.N. inquiry committee. The executive has announced that it will boycott the inquiry, and has called a strike for June 16 to mark the opening of hearings by the probers. The Arab League, however, has reserved its decision on appearance before the committee.
In a new move tonight, the Higher Executive placed the fact-finding committee out of bounds” to all Arabs in Palestine. Announcing a seven-point plan to enforce a complete boycott, Jamal Husseini, vice-chairman, banned all Arabs, including journalists, from appearing before any of the committee’s hearings. The embargo also applies to written testimony. No Arab may attend any social functions given for the committee.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
