A spokesman for the Embassy of Israel said today that the public record of the Arab States on the Jerusalem issue is the best commentary on the “unabashed cynicism” of the appeal of the Arab ambassadors in Washington yesterday for the internationalization of the city.
The Israel spokesman pointed out that the United Nations proposal in 1947 for the statute of Jerusalem was “effectively killed by the bloody violence of Arab opposition.” He told how Arab aggression damaged the city and its Holy Places. Having prevented by force of arms the peaceful internationalization of Jerusalem, the Arabs have since opposed every plan put forward by other states to secure the legitimate objective of the safeguarding of the Holy Places, the spokesman said.
“Jordan, the only Arab state with actual interests and position in Jerusalem,” said the spokesman, “has publicly disassociated itself from the other Arab governmentsin their apparent altruism in this matter.” Referring to the Arab League statement citing American responsibility in the Jerusalem issue, the spokesman recalled the following facts:
1. After Arab opposition had prevented the U.S. and Israel from maintaining the original internationalization plan, the U.S. took the lead in May, 1948, in advocating the non-implementation of that plan.
2. At the UN in 1949 and 1950 the U.S. opposed the plan for territorial internationalization of Jerusalem, the U.S. encouraged and supported Israel’s initiative in June, 1950, in proposing an international representative for the Holy Places.
3. The U.S. and Israel together supported Dutch and Swedish proposals in 1949-1950 for the international protection of the Holy Places. The Arab States helped obstruct the adoption of this plan.
4. In a further attempt to secure international control of the Holy Places, the U.S. joined the United Kingdom and Uruguay in an a mended resolution at the U.N. in Nov., 1950. Israel supported it. The Arab states, other than Jordan, opposed it. This resolution has not yet come to a vote.
5. In December, 1950, Israel was informed of the U.S. view that this plan, if adopted, was consistent with full Israel and Jordan sovereignty. A statement to this effect is on record on behalf of the United States.
6. Israel continues to have a clear understanding that the U.S. stands by these commitments and policies and advocates an arrangement for the Holy Places such as would not disturb the sovereignty of the city and its political institutions.
The spokesman said the Arab ambassadors quoted phrases from the U.S.-British-French declaration of May, 1950, in an attempt to show that Israel has infringed the status quo by moving its Foreign Ministry to Jerusalem. He noted that in May, 1950, Jerusalem was already functioning as the capital of Israel.
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