The U.N. Palestine Commission today agreed ?animously to abandon the establishment of a Jewish Provisional Council of Government provided in the partition decision which is now under reconsideration at the special session of the General Assembly.
This action precludes recognition of any Jewish provisional government that may be established in Palestine after May 15, unless the Assembly fails to agree on ?usteeship as a substitute for partition.
At the same time, the Palestine Commission conceded that its plan for the recruitment of an Interim Jerusalem police force has failed. The Commission’s hope of recruiting 250 men to form a nucleus for the special Jerusalem police force out of British personnel volunteering to remain in Palestine was dashed by a letter from the British delegation revealing that only 50 volunteers remain to choose from because of the Commission’s tardiness in arranging to retain them. These men, the letter said, are chiefly young and inexperienced, none of them officers or Inspectors.
Faced with this prospect the Commission promptly cabled Pablo Ascarate, thief of the U.N, advance party in Palestine, to arrange for the retention of as any of the 50 as are suitable for service. The Commission also took exception to be implied accusation that it, rather than the Mandatory, was responsible for this failure. It pointed out that its first call for volunteers issued last February was dismissed by the British as a declaration of policy rather than a decision. At the time, it was estimated that 4,000 men could have been retained. Furthermore, the British by refusing to permit the Commission entry into Palestine before May 1 had made negotiation impossible.
The only reassuring note at today’s special meeting was the announcement that emergency arrangement a for shipping and stockpiling essential food supplies had been concluded between the Jewish Agency, the Arab Chamber of Commerce and Steel Brothers, ? London firm of shippers and bankers.
The Commission announced that Steel Brothers would advance 80 percent of the Funds needed to import 26,000 tons of wheat, 4,200 tons of sugar and 650 tons of heat. This amount, the Commission said, would ensure adequate food stocks until July 15. The British concern will be responsible for shipping and warehousing these imports in Palestine though the British Government will act as purchasing agent. Distribution will hmm to be made by Jewish and Arab authorities in Palestine which together are required to advance 20 percent of the total $5,200,000.
It was announced today that that Palestine Government has asked the United Kingdom to release this sum out of blocked Palestinian sterling balances. The Palestine Administration has already issued import licenses, the Commission was advised, to cover these emergency shipments.
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