Britain and the United States today practically scrapped their Palestine resolution in the United Nations 24 hours before it was due for a final vote in the General Assembly and less than a week after it was approved by the Assembly’s Political Committee. After consultations with London and Washington, it was decided to accept amendments to be proposed by Canada, New Zealand, France and the United States which completely alter the slant of the resolution.
The new amendments cut out all remaining references to the partition resolution and to the report of the late Count Folke Bernadotte. They also ignore suggestions that the Jews make the port of Haifa and Lydda Airport available to the Arabs without hindrance. Also to be proposed before the final vote is a further amendment by France considerably weakening instructions on the demilitarization of Jerusalem.
The final decision was taken this morning only after London had been persuaded that there was no chance that the original draft as voted by the Political Committee would obtain the necessary two-thirds majority in the full Assembly. It was pointed out to Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin by the British delegation that if the Assembly adjourned without a decision on Palestine, this might heighten the present unrest in the Middle East which is causing the greatest concern in British quarters. Only this argument, reinforced by United States pressure in pointing out the danger that the Arab and Soviet blocs might emerge with control of 23 Assembly votes to make any two-thirds decision difficult in the future, finally caused Bevin to abandon the last shreds of the Bernadotte report.
The new resolution still foresees a three-member conciliation commission, but it will have no terms of reference other than to work for peace, prepare Jerusalem for international regulation and make arrangements to assist Arab refugees. But the new version omits specific reference to Israel’s responsibility for paying compensation.
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