U.N. Conciliation Commission Presents Israel and Arars with New Peace Proposals

The U.N. Palestine Conciliation Commission today presented a “top secret” note to the Israel and Arab representatives here, believed to contain a new peace formula calling for direct negotiations between Israel and the Arab governments. The note was said to have asked for a reply by April 17.

Meanwhile, the U.N. Trusteeship Council adopted in final form the first 31 articles of the draft statute on internationalization for Jerusalem, Under these articles, the whole city is constituted as a corpus separatum under the administration of the U.N. The internationalized area is bounded by the towns of Abu Dis, Bethlehem, Ein Karin and Shu’fat.

Article Three establishes that no judicial decision, administrative act or legislative measure may conflict or interfere with the provisions of the statute. Other articles provide for complete demilitarization and neutrality for the area, a special flag, a seal and a coat of arms, and a guarantee of all the human rights and fundamental freedoms associated with the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Other articles provide for the setting up of the area’s administration, with a Governor appointed by the U.N. Trusteeship Council for a term of three years, a Chief Secretary as his immediate assistants, a Council of Administration, a judiciary and a legislative council to be composed of residents of the city clocted on the basis of equal representation for the three main religicus groups and a number of others not representing these religious groups.

Under the statute, the Governor is the protector of the Holy Places and is empowered to negotiate agreements on the Holy Places “with the states’ consent,” He is also authorized to organize and direct a special police force for the territory and is given emergency powers in the event of “non-cooperation or interference of persons or groups of persons in the city.”