Although the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine is now meeting thrice daily, it was indicated here today that it may not Jewish its deliberations and frame its report by Sept. 1, the original deadline.
In some quarters it was stated today that the discussions may stretch into first fortnight of next month. (The U.N. General Assermbly at which the report Palestine is to be discussed is scheduled to convone Sect, 16.) It appears likely ? two reports will be forthcoming, one by a majority of eight or nine members, the ?er by a minority of three or four. At present no clear picture of UNSCOP’s future ?rse can be charted.
The economic status of Palestine is now giving deep concern to the committee, in formulating its recommendations for the General Assembly. UNSCOP is approach? the problem from two directions, it was learned. Firstly, if Palestine is to be ## economic unit, how much political partition between Jews and Arabs should be en?ged! Secondly, assuming that Palestine is to be partitioned, how much economic ?ty can be achieved?
DIFFICULTIES OF DESIGNATING BRITAIN AS TRUSTEE POWER ARE DISCUSSED
The first named economic suggestion for Palestine, as it is beginning to ?pe up in UNSCOP thinking, might lead to a federation of two possible political ?ates. The second plan could be followed by one of two alternatives: contractual ?ations between the two possible states or the establishment of two interim independent states under the authority of a third body set up by the U.N. for the in?im period. One question which arises is, if Britain should be designated as the {SPAN}##.{/SPAN} supervisor for the interim, would the Jews and Arabs agree?
In case Britain should not be recommended specifically as a trustee power, ##t simply U.N. trusteeship is put forward, it is considered possible that Russia ##ght contrive to enter the picture as part of a third body ultimately chosen to car## out the interim supervision.
The delegates favoring partition point out that whatever solution is reached, ## Jews must be given more territory than they now occupy. This would obviously be ##st unacceptable to the Arab leaders. Therefore, it must be recognized that what##er decision is reached, whether the Jews accept or not, the Arabs are fairly sure ## disagree with UNSCOP. Hence the recommendation may have to be imposed on the rabs.
This brings up the issue of a third body under the U.N. supervising Palestine. How can it do so without the use of troops and what country other than Britain as available troops? At the same time the question again arises whether Britain can ## an appropriate choice for trustee in view of its strained relations with both rabs and Jews.
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