Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Protestant Group Submits Jerusalem Plan to U.n.; Urges Modification of U.N. Decision

January 12, 1950
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

A proposal to modify the United Nations plan to internationalize Jerusalem has been submitted to U.N. Trusteeship Council president Roger Garreau by N. Frederick Nolde, director of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, it was learned here today. The Commission represents Protestant Church groups in 64 countries.

Known as the “Canterbury Plan,” after its author, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the highly-detailed, seven-page document embodies three major principles on which would be based a limited-size United Nations enclave:

1. Internationalization of an enclave to include the entire old City; a part of the new city encompassing the business square, a number of public buildings, the Mount of Olives and Mt. Scopus. The Jews would be granted the right of access to the Wailing Wall in the Old City and to the Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus.

2. The application of human rights principles and guarantees of non-discrimination by the United Nations regime.

3. All Churches and religious buildings now occupied by either the Israel or Arab forces would be returned to their original owners.

It is understood that the plan has been circulated privately among members of various delegations at the United Nations, but was never revealed during the last General Assembly session here, at which the internationalization decision was adopted. The plan resembles the Garreau proposal for internationalization of a limited area of the city, but differs from it in its inclusion of all of the Old City in the proposed U.N. enclave.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement