Israel Parliament Approves Government’s Policy on Trans Jordan’s Annexation Move

The Israel Parliament last night approved the government’s policy on Trans jordan’s annexation of the Arab part of Palestine by a vote of 53 to zero, with many members abstaining. All opposing party motions on the question were defeated.

Replying to left and right-wing criticisms of the government’s lack of action in relation to King Abdullah’s move, Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett declared that the annexation remained an “open question” as far as Israel was concerned. He also declared that the Jewish state would remain on guard because of the British attitude toward the incorporation of Palestine territory into Transjordan.

Pointing out that Israel is prepared to arrive at a peace settlement with any of the Arab states, he cautioned that peace with Trans jordan is “still an unhatched egg.” Although Israel desires to break the Arab blockade surrounding it, it will not do so at any price, he stated. But the Jewish state is prepared to go to war again if the blockade is converted into open attacks, he said. He also expressed the opinion that no regime west of the Jordan River can “consider itself secure” without Israel’s “consent and cooperation.”

Before the debate ended, Nathan Friedman-Yellin, former Sternist commander and now head of the Fighters Party, called on the government to reopen the war on Transjordan. Insisting that the government should have warned Transjordan that annexation would be considered a hostile act, the one-time underground leader demanded that the Premier issue orders to the Army Chief of Staff to “complete the war of liberation.”