American Jewish Committee Takes Issue with Truman Call for Palestine Trusteeship

Declaring that the Security Council of the United Nations must take immediate stops to halt “the invasion of Palestine by Arab countries” and restore order in the Holy Land, the American Jewish Committee today pressed “keen regret at the modification” in the United States position on the U.N. assembly resolution for partition. The statement was issued on behalf of the American Jewish Committee by former Governor Herbert H. Lehman, honorary vice-president; ##mer Judge Joseph M. Proskauer, president, and Jacob Blaustein, chairman of the executive committee, in reply to President Truman’s call for a trusteeship.

The resolution of the U.K. General Assembly is “still binding,” the A.J.C. spokesman said, and the change in our government’s position has resulted in a loss of international prestige by the United States and has been a blow to the United Nations. ##ey declared that the President’s statement of March 25 envisaged the necessity of ## use of force “to implement even a temporary trusteeship.”

Asserting that they understood and applauded the desire of the President for a peaceful solution, the Committee officers continued: “We urge that the United Nations cannot with dignity or safety be put in the position of arriving at a decision and then submitting to internal and external violence in Palestine to thwart it. Peace will not result from condoning violence. It can only be achieved by suppressing violence.”

The clear-cut direct course, they insisted, “is now to advocate that the Security Council should discharge the obligations imposed on it by the United Nations charter and summarily put an end to the invasion of Palestine by Arab Countries and restore order within Palestine.”

They said that the American Jewish Committee has always viewed, as the essence of any Palestine policy, “the preservation of the right of adequate Jewish immigration into Palestine, the right of land ownership by Jews and the preservation of the security and well being of that country.” The statement continued:

COUNCIL FOR JUDAISM CALLS U.S. PROPOSAL “BEST COURSE” FOR PEACE

The Council expressed the hope that a sincere attempt will be made to evolve a workable and peaceful plan for the ultimate Political form of the Holy Land, “led by men of moderation who appreciate the futility of continued hostility.” Under the government’s proposal to the United Nations, the Council anticipated “it still may be necessary to employ armed force in Palestine, “added:” If so, we could justify the utilization of such forces for the quelling of intransigent groups with the objective of establishing peace and harmony.” The Council describer government’s action as a “clear demonstration that the interests of the United States as well as those of the United Nations are being given primary consideration.”