Britain Will Not Announce Its Palestine Policy Until Consultations Are Concluded

The policy of the British Government with regard to Palestine cannot be announced until consultations with other governments and representatives of Jewish and Arab organizations are concluded, it was stated today by Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin.

Bevin made this statement in a written reply to Samuel Silverman, Laborite member of the House of Commons. He pointed out that the British Government is pledged not to enter any commitment regarding the future of Palestine until it has consulted Arabs and Jews.

The fact that the Jewish Agency and the Arab Higher Committee of Palestine gave evidence before the Anglo-American inquiry committee is no reason for emitting them from the list of governments and organizations which are being consulted in accordance with this pledge, Bevin said. He added that the governments of Britain and the United States have agreed to initiate discussions between their respective officials following their joint examination of the report of the Anglo-American committee.

In Commons today, Herbert Morrison, Lord President of the Council, said he is not in a position to make any statement as to whether the government will be making an early declaration or provide a day for discussion on the report of the inquiry committee. He emphasized that the government still does not think it would be wise to debate the matter until discussions in which it is engaged reach a more definite stage.

Morrison made these observations following a question posed by Mr. Silverman in which he pointed out that two months have elapsed since the Anglo-American report was issued and no steps have been taken to transfer the 100,000 Jews from Europe to Palestine as recommended in the report.