The U.N. Palestine Commission tonight completed the first draft of its special report on Palestine security which is to be submitted to the Security Council. It was announced tonight that the Council will begin formal discussion of the Palestine Security situation on Monday.
General Andrew G.L. McNaughton of Canada, president of the Security Council, indicated that the Council may spend considerable time on the problem next week, “Member of the Council are giving: the greatest attention to the situation in Palestine” he said.
The five-nation Palestine Commission was expecting a report today on negotiations which its Philippine member, Vicente J. Francisco, has been conducting with the British delegation at the United Nations regarding the establishment of a legal and well-equipped Jewish militia. However, Senator Francisco was not in a position to present his report today, apparently because his negotiations have not yet been completed.
Meanwhile, the Commission made an open bid today for the services of the administrative personnel of the Palestine Government announcing that it is interested in retaining “all employees of the Palestine Administration who wish to continue in service after the termination of the Mandate.” The Commission asked the Mandatory power to circulate this offer among the government employees.
The move, which is considered as an indication, that the Commission is moving speedily to take over the administrative functions from the Mandatory power, was largely inspired by a cabled offer this week to the Commission on behalf of more than 3,000 contract government employees in Palestine to serve under the United Nations.
PALESTINE ARAB HIGHER COMMITTEE CHARGES U.S. WITH “POLITICAL BLACKMAIL”
The Palestine Arab Higher Committee, in a bellicose letter to Secretary-General Trygve Lie, advised the Commission to stay out of Palestine and called for the abandonment of the partition plan. The letter accused the United States of “political blackmail” and the U.N. of “aggression,” in relation to their effort to implement the partitioning of Palestine.
The letter also charged the U.S Government with bringing “flagrant interference and pressure” to bear on the delegations of Siam, Liberia, the Philippines, Faiti and others, in order to secure a majority of votes in favor of partition at the last General Assembly session. It declared that the Arab Higher Committee will never recognize the authority of the U.N. on partition. It warned the Security Council against sending an international police force to Palestine, declaring that such a force will meet with effective opposition on the part of every Arab.
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