Palestine High Commissioner Sir Alan G. Cunningham today reiterated the British Government’s threat to withdraw from Palestine if the United Nations falled to reach an agreement on the Palestine issue. He made the statement at a press conference for foreign correspondents at Government House.
Cunningham warned that “misery, economic loss, chaos and possibly bloodshed would follow the British withdrawal.” He insisted that he hoped that the Jewish and Arab leaders would realize what lay in front of them and try to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. “I am one who believes that the door is not yet closed. It is essential that people in Palestine should realize that Britain means what she says,” he added.
Major military construction work had ceased in preparation for the withdrawal, he asserted. During the interim period preceding the evacuation the Palestine Government’s budget would be based on last year’s estimates–apparently drawn up at a time when Britain was not considering withdrawing and therefore presumably providing for full programs in all fields.
It was pointed out to Sir Alan that a recent announcement, that British women and children evacuated several months ago at the height of the extremist campaign against the government would be readmitted, appeared to contradict announcements about preparations for a withdrawal. He replied that the reentry of the families of British military and civilian personnel was merely the honoring of pledges to permit it as soon as the security situation warranted it.
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