U.S. Delegates Indicate “sympathetic Consideration” of Acting Mediator’s New Proposals

Members of the U.S. delegation at the United Nations today indicated that they are giving “sympathetic consideration” to the new proposals on Palestine by acting mediator Dr. Ralph Bunche, but they still have not taken a firm stand on the application of sanctions.

On the other hand, British diplomatic intentions with respect to Israel, disclosed in recent closed sessions of the United Nations Security Council, received further official clarification today. The British delegation is not prepared to support the new proposals by Dr. Bunche, by which the U.N. would sponsor negotiations between the warring parties in Palestine. Britain, it is now officially stated, is against “negotiation under duress” imposed by the Security Council.

Further aspects of British policy, it is learned, were unfolded Tuesday at the closed session of the Security Council. The British want their sanctions resolution, which the Chinese are supporting, made the basis of all further Security Council dealings with the Jews and Arabs. They want this application extended into a general principle affecting all fronts; to establish in the south the Bernadotte frontiers of the Negev by order of the Security Council; and in the north to create another so-called neutral zone in Galilee which would be handed over to the Jews only if they give up the Negev.

This British position was clarified after the report made to the Security Council by Brig. Gen. William E. Riley, chief of staff to Dr. Bunche, and by Dr. Bunche himself, showed clearly that the Jews were maintaining their military hold on the Palestine frontiers. Dr. Bunche again expressed his doubts over the efficiency of the sanctions resolution, and wanted to have an alternative proposal of negotiations open to him. But the British firmly closed the door on this unless the United States’ attitude becomes more precise and more favorable to the Bunche proposal than at present.

The Arab League has been split wide open by a conflict which developed during the eleven days it was in session in Cairo. That was made clear late last night by Premier Riad al Solh of Lebanon. At a special gathering of Arab newspapermen, and one solitary European Journalist, here, he denounced King Abdullah of Transjordan. In addition, and in barely veiled references, he accused the Egyptian Army of having withdrawn from the Negev without engaging in any serious fighting.

This public attack on his fellow Arabs followed by less than 48 hours that of Premier Muzahim al Pachachi of Iraq who, speaking in Baghdad, also publicly denounced certain Arab states for having turned down an Iraqi proposal for a United Arab command in the war against Israel.