People of Jerusalem Reject International Rule in Series of Public Demonstrations

In a series of mass meetings, demonstrations and political rallies yesterday and today, the people of Jerusalem gave clear indication that they will have no part of the latest United Nations proposal to internationalize their city.

At yesterday’s monster demonstration called by the municipal council tens of thousands of men and women turned out to hear prominent local and national leaders urge opposition to the proposal by the Palestine Conciliation Commission which would set up separate, autonomous Jewish and Arab municipalities under the overall control of a U.N. Commissioner.

The demonstration, which had been called with opposition to “foreign rule” as its chief slogan, demonstrated the solidarity of the people of Jerusalem with the Israel Government. Every one of the major political parties, including the Communist Party, held its own public protest meeting. The meeting, which was opened by Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor, David Shraibman, unanimously adopted a resolution expressing opposition to the plan and calling on the nations of the world not to impost “foreign rule” on Jewish Jerusalem.

HERUT THREATENS UNDERGROUND FIGHT ON U.N. PLAN

At a Herut Party meeting today, speakers threatened that if the Israel Government fails to take the initiative in “countering Israel’s enemies,” and “independent Jewish Government” will be set up in Jerusalem. They added that in such an event the entire youth of the nation would be mobilized in an underground movement to fight an international regime.

The Herut speakers, including Shmuel Katz, a Herut deputy in the Knesset, denounced the project as an attempt to cut Jerusalem from the rest of Israel. The rally also called on Colombia not to allow “one of its sons” to be sent to Jerusalem as a U.N. representative–referring to the appointment last week of Dr. Alberto Gonzalez Fernandez, pro-Arab member of the Colombian delegation at the U.N., as U.N. representative in Jerusalem. One of the blunt comments on this matter was: “we are not interested in a tragic rehearsal of the Bernadotte affair.”

At the meetings, in official statements and newspaper editorials since the proposal was made public early last week, it became evident that passive resistance and non-cooperation will be among the weapons of the Jews of Jerusalem against any international regime. If they are forced by various pressures to accept the plan and international control is imposed on them, they will refuse to cooperate with the international authorities.

They will ignore any order issued by an international administration and they may refuse to pay any taxes. As maintenance of an international establishment would require considerable expenditures over and above those provided by the U.N. plan, the latter point would be of vital importance. Enforcement of any regulations and decisions of an international body will also pose a problem, since no Jew will serve on the 500-man police force envisaged in the U.N. plan.