Hope of peace in Palestine would be deferred for at least two years, if Mark Ethridge’s proposal for an adjournment of about two months were accepted by the United Nations Palestine Conciliation Commission, sources close to the present United States members of the Commission said this week-end, French and Turkish members of the body also reject the stand taken by Mr. Ethridge.
The Commission’ fears that resumption of its work Just” before the General Assembly meets–as Mr. Ethriage suggests–would make it the central scene of all Assembly lobbying which might stultify its conciliation efforts. Also, as a Commission member put it today/ there will be lots of “inflammable stuff flying around,” and the odds that it will not catch fire if no attention is paid to it for some time are very small. The Israelis have greatly improved their army, he said. The Egyptians are spending $250,000,000 this year on their army and are getting considerable quantities of armor and planes from Italy and elsewhere.
The Syrians are getting $12,000,000 worth of supplies from France. Transjordan and Iraq are obtaining fresh arms from Britain. The member estimated that there would be 20 times more arms available in Palestine and its vicinity by the end of this year than there was when the Palestine war broke out in May of last year. The same source said he was convinced that there would be a renewal of fighting within the year if the present conference here should fail.
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