A new plan for the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab territories is now under consideration as a solution of the Arab-Jewish problem, it was authoritatively learned here today. The plan has been submitted to several Arab leaders to obtain their reaction.
Details of the plan have already been worked out, but they cannot be disclosed for the time being. It can be stated, however, that the proposal differs widely from the partition plan proposed by the British Royal Commission in 1937, which was headed by Lord Peel. (The Peel Plan envisioned the division of Palestine into an Arab State comprising about two-thirds of the country, a small Jewish State, and neutral areas to remain under British rule.)
While the Peel Plan sought to bring all the Jews of Palestine within a proposed Jewish section of the country and leave no Arabs there, the present project involves leaving a substantial Jewish population outside of the proposed Jewish area which would include a good sized Arab minority. It is understood that under this plan the southern undeveloped part of Palestine, known as the Negev, will be given to the Jews.
NO CONNECTION BETWEEN PARTITION PROJECT AND PAN-ARAB FEDERATION TALKS
It was emphasized here today that there is no connection between the new partition project and the discussions on the establishment of a pan-Arab Federation which are now going on in Cairo. There were no concrete proposals on Palestine made during these talks. It is noteworthy, however, that prominent Arabs, in discussing the Palestine problem here, speak of partition as one of the two possible solutions. The other solution, said to be suggested by the Iraquian Premier Nuri Pauha, is based on the premise that the majority of Jews in Palestine would prefer after the war to return to their native lands in a democratic Europe. Under this schema, they are to be aided financially to return to their original homes and thus the Palestine Jewish community would be reduced to a small number of native Jews.
In an address on Sunday to a gathering of the Wafd party, of which he is the leader, the Egyptian Premier Nahas Pasha spoke of Palestine but did not indicate any specific proposal. He said that Egypt has been following a consistent policy of aiding the Arabs in Palestine and promised that the Palestine question “will continue to engage Egyptian attention as well as that of all other Arabs.”
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