The settlement of outstanding Arab-Israeli problems with a view to bringing about a permanent peace between the Jewish state and the Arab countries will be sought at the Arab-Israel conference which opens here tomorrow at the Grillon under the sponsorship of the United Nations Palestine Conciliation Commission. Ely Palmer, American member of the Commission, will preside.
United Nations officials today indicated that the conference may last six weeks. They announced that Egypt and Syria have officially accepted the invitation to participate and that acceptances from Jordan and Lebanon are expected tomorrow. Israel will be represented at the conference by Maurice Fischer, its Minister in France.
Although some observers predict that the conference will be a failure, the U.N. Commission has gone ahead carefully with preparations which indicate that there is room for some practical progress in spite of the existing tension between the Arab countries and Israel. United Nations officials feel that it is a big achievement in itself to get several Arab nations and Israel come together for the talks here, although it is not as yet known whether the Arab and Israeli representatives will actually sit around the same table during the meetings.
ARAB DELEGATES REFUSE TO MEET ISRAELIS FACE-TO-FACE
The opening meeting tomorrow will be marked by a social reception for the delegates arranged by the Conciliation Commission. Arab delegates have already indicated that they are coming to the parley on two conditions: firstly, that any proposals the Commission makes must first be submitted privately to the Arab nations; secondly, that they will maintain no direct contact with the Israeli delegates. It is understood that Israel’s view is that nothing in the way of real peace can be achieved unless there are direct face-to-face talks between the Israelis and the Arabs.
The list of topics drawn up by the Conciliation Commission for discussion at the talks include: 1. Repatriation of Palestine Arab refugees and the payment of compensation to those who are not repatriated; 2. The status of Jerusalem and the boundaries of the city, which is divided between Israel and Jordan. The Israel-Syrian dispute over the reclamation of the Huleh swamps may also be considered.
It is understood that Israel is ready to cooperate on the fund for the reintegration and resettlement of Palestine Arab refugees in various Arab countries, but is not prepared to make payments to individuals. The Commission, it was learned today, has in its possession an estimate of the quantity and value of Arab property in Israel claimed by Arab refugees. The figures have been prepared by Holger Anderson, a Dane, who heads the special refugee office attached to the Commission.
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