The Government of Israel, and the six Arab League states which have invaded Palestine, today accepted the U.N. Security Council four-week cease-fire order, the sixth U.N. call for peace in Palestine.
The reply from the Provisional Government of Israel stated that the government had ordered the army high command to issue a cease-f ire order at 3 A.M. local time (7 P.M. New York time) if the other side also holds its fire. Similarly, the Israelis agreed to accept the other obligations in the resolution–arms embargo and halting of immigration of potential soldiers–if the Arabs did likewise.
The Israeli communication then stated that although the Jews accepted the cease-fire without reservation, they wished to place on record “consequences” which “seem to flow naturally from the text and spirit of the resolution.” The interpretation included the following points:
1. That the ban on arms importations also covers transfer of stocks of arms owned or controlled by foreign powers within the effected territory; 2. That neither side attempts to advance beyond the points where the cease-fire finds them and that each side will maintain the position it occupies at that time; 3. That freedom of access to Jerusalem be assured for food supplies as well as civilian exit and entry; 4. That attempts to impede the normal transit of goods assigned to Israel and other state concerned will be regarded as an act of armed force; 5. That while the Israel Government agrees not to mobilize or train persons of military: age during the four weeks, its freedom to admit immigrants, regardless of age, will not be impaired.
The Arab decision was first made known with the release of a message from the Arab League to Charles Malik, Lebanese delegate to the U.N. which informed him that the League’s Political Committee had accepted the request for a truce and that to the President of the Security Council. The message added that “acceptance by the Arab governments of these proposals proves once more their genuine desire to see peace restored in the Holy Land and a just solution of the Palestine problem arrived at.”
The Israeli communication also asked for an opportunity, at the discretion of the Council, for the Israeli Government to explain its views orally.
Faris al Khoury of Syria will preside over the Security Council for the month of June although the Council’s rules of procedure provide that if the chairman represents one of the parties in a dispute before the Council he may waive that right. El Khoury indicated yesterday that he would not yield the chair.
(Analyzing the military situation in Tel Aviv today, Shertok declared: “We hold both Eastern and Western Galilee. In fact, we held the entire area of the state of Israel, set up in accordance with the partition decision, plus Western Galilee and a good part of the Jerusalem road. The situation in the south is difficult; an Egyptian column has made deep incursions, but we are dealing with it most effectively. Outside of the Old City we virtually control all of the Jerusalem area.”)
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