“I see no alternative to partition, but nobody wishes it to be achieved through massacre and international complications, and some interim measure may yet prevent irremediable mischief,” General Jan C. Smuts, South African Prime Minister declared today in a cable to Dr. Chaim Weizmann.
Replying to Dr. Weizmann’s request to state his views “at this critical moment” when attempts are being made to revise the Palestine partition decision of the United Nations, Gen. Smuts, long known as a friend of a Jewish Palestine, added:
“The American proposal for U.N. trusteeship appears to be intended as an interim measure to prevent a terrible situation such as may arise immediately on the termination of the British Mandate and which has already begun. I myself feel deeply concerned over the possibilities of this situation. Something my happen in that vacuum of public authority–after British withdrawal and before the new regime is in working order–which may shock the world’s conscience and even precipitate an inter####.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
