The draft proposals submitted to the U.N. for the internationalization of Jerusalem are unnecessary, unjust, and impractical, Avraham Harman, Israel Consul General in Canada, stated at a meeting held at the Royal York Hotel here under the auspices of the United Zionist Council of Canada.
“Arab views on the subject were not basically different from those of the Jews,” Mr. Harman said. “Declarations by The Lebanon and other Arab countries that they approve internationalization are meaningless. The Arab part of Jerusalem is under the control of Transjordan which is the only Arab state that has any say on the Arab part of the Holy City. The Lebanese attitude cannot commit Transjordan which has in recent weeks repeatedly gone on record in opposition to the internationalization scheme.”
The super-imposition of an international regime is unnecessary, he said, because its purpose of guaranteeing the inviolability of the Holy Places and free access to them is far more capable of implementation through international machinery limited to just that purpose. “Israel has already announced its intention of cooperating in an effective scheme for guaranteeing the Holy Places, not only in Jerusalem but outside too,” he declared.
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.