Conciliation Commission Meets with Arab Delegates at Lausanne on Israeli Refugee Plan

Members of the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine this week-end met individually with various Arab delegates at the peace parley here and discussed the Israeli proposal to readmit 100,000 Arab refugees. Earlier, one Arab spokesman declared that the Israeli offer was “ridiculous” and not worth discussing.

Meanwhile, it was reported here that indecision in Washington about the extent of United States aid for the rehabilitation of the Middle East has suddenly and unexpectedly halted the progress which had been made in the last week. It has also encouraged the representatives of Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Transjordan, who received with marked coolness details of the Israeli repatriation offer.

Both the Israeli and the Arab delegations have now revealed their hands. The Commission members and Washington know precisely what both sides are willing to do. But the United States attitude voiced here seems to be that they must still squeeze Israeli and Arab delegates.

In a private meeting between the Commission and the heads of the Israeli mission and later between the Israelis and the Americans, it was learned today, Paul A. Porter, American commission member, apparently thought it possible to persuade the Israelis to make further concessions — to increase the number of Arab refugees which the Jewish state would take back and give up the Israeli position that the present armistice frontiers should become the accepted borders of Israel.

Israeli delegates Reuven Shiloah and Eliahu Sassoon impressed on the commission and particularly on the United States member that there could be no question of further bargaining. They responded to the Commission’s request to be frank and produce at the outset their final figure on Palestinian refugees. This they had done, they said, and they would not under any circumstances change it.