The recommendations of the Anglo-American inquiry committee were termed “unacceptable as a whole” by Peter Bergson, chairman of the Hebrew Committee of National Liberation, in a letter sent yesterday to President Truman and released by Bergson today at a press conference.
Declaring that the committee offered “no solution whatsoever but merely endorsed the continuation of the status quo of the British military occupation,” Bergson wrote the President: “We regard it as significant that you have withheld approval of the vague and harmful recommendations of the committee which serve only to encourage antagonism and conflict between Hebrews and Arabs.” He expressed the gratitude “of the Hebrew people” for the President’s “sympathy and understanding” and confidence that “we can rely on your wisdom and statesmanship to support a just, effective and permanent long-range policy.”
The letter suggested that the American Army Commander in Europe be given responsibility for the most expeditions evacuation of the 100,000 refugees to Palestine, with shipping to be made available by the War Shipping Administration and Maritime Commission.
In a cable to Prime Minister Attlee, Bergson placed responsibility for violence in Palestine on the Palestine administration and urged the transfer to Palestine of all Palestinians now in the British Armed Forces and all units of the Jewish Brigade to maintain order thus eliminating, he said, need for British or American troops.
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