Seven members of the Jewish Agency executive met today with Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin and Colonial Secretary Arthur Creech-Jones in the second of a series of informal talks on the future of Palestine. At the conclusion of the two-hour session, it was learned that another meeting will be held shortly and that the members of the Agency will get together tonight for an informal discussion of the situation up to now.
At least some of the members of the Zionist delegation are deeply disappointed with the results of today’s talks and see practically no progress, although others are understood to feel that the situation “is not hopeless.” The Jewish delegation included David Ben Gurion, Moshe Shertok, Dr. Emanuel Neumann, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, Dr. Isaac Gruenbaum, Prof. Selig Brodetsky, and Berl Looker.
It is understood in government circles that the majority of the Cabinet, which will meet tomorrow on the Palestine issue, favors partition, while Bevin is still opposed to a final decision, preferring that the situation remain “fluid.” It is thought in these circles that Bevin has come around to supporting a more liberal form of the “federalization scheme” which would give the Jews control of immigration as a transitional stage toward eventual partition.
They also believe that Bevin does not want his latest plan brought before the United Nations until the General Assembly meets in September. In that event, these circles say, the Agency will demand that large-scale immigration begin immediately after the conclusion of the present talks. At the next meeting between the Zionists and the government leaders, both parties are expected to name the principles which they want incorporated into this liberalized plan.
In reply to a question from correspondents, a Foreign Office spokesman today declared that as far as he know Bevin is not keeping Secretary of State George G. Marshall informed of current Palestine developments. He added that he did not know if Britain had informed the United States or any other government of its decision to evacuate civilians from the Holy Land.
H.A. Goodman, political secretary of the Agudas Israel, and Dr. Israel Lewin of the American branch of Agudah, are visiting the Foreign Office tomorrow at the invitation of the British officials. The Agudah leaders intend to ask the government to refrain from repressive measures in Palestine which might jeopardize the London talks.
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.
