Arab demands on Israel would out the new state to one-third of the territory allocated to it by the United Nations partition decision of November 29, 1947, it became obvious here today following an analysis of the Arab reply yesterday to a U.N. Conciliation Commission questionnaire designed to bring to light those problems which must be resolved before a permanent peace settlement can be obtained.
The Arabs demand Eastern Galilee as well as Western Galilee, the whole of the Negev, the Israeli-occupied corridor to Jerusalem, the internationalization of Jerusalem and Jaffa and an international corridor through Israel to link Jaffa with the Arab part of Palestine.
While the Commission found some difficulty in treating most of these demands as serious proposals, members expressed the fear that once again, as a result of this document, Arab public opinion may be led to expect far more than it could legitimately or reasonably hope for. Therefore Commission members feel they still have before them a long and painful task in reconciling Arab and Israeli views on the Jewish nation’s frontiers.
Reuven Shiloah, head of the Israeli delegation, arrived back in Lausanne today after a week-end visit to Tel Aviv. He brought with him Israel’s reply to the Commission’s questionnaire on frontiers and refugees. This will be handed to the Commission at a meeting scheduled for Thursday.
The Jerusalem committee today signed its report to the United Nations General Assembly. The report has been dispatched to Lake Success and will be published next week.
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