The United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine met today behind closed doors to consider the Israeli delegation’s note protesting the Arab states’ attitude at the “peace” talks here.
The Israeli note, made public here yesterday, rejected the Commission’s assertion that the Arab statement of willingness to forego the use of armed force against the Israelis was evidence of “goodwill.” The note, signed by Maurice Fischer, head of the Israeli delegation, charged that by their refusal to pledge to refrain from all sorts of hostilities the Arab states had violated the U.N. Charter, Security Council decisions and the Arab states-Israeli armistice agreements. It also stated that this not only did not constitute “goodwill” as asserted by Ely Palmer, American chairman of the Commission, but actually provided no adequate basis for continuation of the conference.
Meanwhile, Egyptian delegate Abdel Monem Mostafa Bey said last night that the Arab states have accepted the Conciliation Commission’s five-point proposal “as a basis for discussion.” This, he stressed, did not mean that the Arabs had accepted the proposals as such. He revealed that this view had been made known to the Commission in a note replying to the Commission’s letter accepting the pledge not to use force.
The Commission is expected to publish a reply to the latest Israel note, perhaps tomorrow. Up to now there has been no meeting between the Commission and either the Arab or Israeli delegates for the past 13 days. The six-week-old parley has not yet progressed beyond the preamble to the Commission’s plan.
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