A resolution aimed at preventing the re-settlement of Jews in Palestine was defeated today in the committee of the U.N. Economic and Social Council which is drafting a report on refugees and displaced persons.
The resolution was offered by the Lebanese delegate, who was supported by the delegates of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic and of Yugoslavia. The French delegate also backed the proposed resolution, but later withdrew his support, declaring that the Palestine problem must be dealt with outside of the International Refugee Organization to be established by the United Nations. The United States delegate, George Warren, opposed the Lebanese move.
The resolution proposed by the Lebanese representative provided:
1. In the settlement of refugees no scheme shall be sponsored by the International Refugee Organization which will create political difficulty in the country of settlement or a neighboring country.
2. No resettlement of refugees shall be undertaken or participated in by the International Refugee Organization without the consent of peoples of the country of reception and without full consultation with the member states of the United Nations directly concerned.
3. In the discharge of its function, the International Refugee Organization shall not take part in any action which will violate the purposes and principles of the charter of the United Nations.
The first clause was defeated by ten to five; the second by nine to six; and the third by nine to six. The official announcement, however, did not indicate which delegates voted for or against the resolution.
The delegate of Cuba stated that acceptance of the Lebanese move would mean that the right of asylum should be banned in certain regions in both the immediate and remote future. The aim of the United Nations should be to broaden, not to restrict, the right of asylum, he declared.
After the rejection of the Lebanese resolution, the committee unanimously adopted an amendment proposed by the U.S. representative, which stated that the functions of the International Refugee Organization “be carried out in accordance with the purposes and principles of the charter.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
