U.S. Policy on Arab Refugees is Repatriation, Resettlement, Compensation

The United States today made it clear before the United Nations Special Political Committee–which is discussing the Arab refugee problem–that contrary to the Arab insistence that repatriation of the refugees is the only solution to the problem, the U.S. Government sees the solution in a three-pronged program of repatriation of some of the refugees, resettlement of some in the Arab lands where they reside, and compensation by Israel of Arabs for property left in Israel.

Ambassador Francis T.P. Plimpton, American representative at the Committee, told the delegates of the 103-nation body at today’s session that “the United States again affirms, as it has many times in the past, its firm support of the provisions for repatriation, resettlement and compensation and its earnest hope for the early implementation of those provisions.”

Mr. Plimpton pointed to the report filed by the Palestine Conciliation Commission as a result of the survey of the Arab refugee problem made recently by Dr. Joseph E. Johnson, president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He said that “the United States considers that Dr. Johnson has ably carried out the preliminary phase of these exploratory discussions.”

Stressing the fact that Dr. Johnson has recommended that the Commission should be authorized to continue its efforts in the Arab refugee field for another year, Mr. Plimpton said: “Let me stress that we have here a potentially constructive, hopeful element such as has not been present for many years. Only through such sustained but quiet effort is there hope of advance through the maze of controversy surrounding this problem. The expectations we entertain are limited and most cautious–but let us at least give them a fair chance to materialize.”

Apparently aiming at Dr. Shukairy, who had lashed Dr. Johns on and the Johnson report severely, Mr. Plimpton declared: “We cannot help but deplore any official statement or official public action whether past or present, making more difficult the effort of the Commission through the quiet instrumentality of a special representative” to make progress in regard to the refugee issue.

U.S. DELEGATE PLEADS TO END ‘ACRIMONIOUS’ DEBATE ON REFUGEES

Mr. Plimpton pleaded for an end to “the acrimonious and stormy debate.” He said the United States is convinced that the work of the PCC if continued and intensified, is the best way to achieve progress on the whole refugee problem. He told the Committee that if the current debate proves conducive to a continuation of the PCC’s endeavors, “the United States Government would be prepared in connection there with to support a limited extension of UNR WA’s mandate this year.” The present mandate of UNR WA is due to expire June 30, 1963.

“We urge this Committee,” the American Ambassador said, “to concentrate its debate, its proposals and its action on the welfare of the refugees themselves, to forego fruitless controversy, and to adopt the positive, constructive and forward-looking attitude that alone can contribute toward progress along the hard road to eventual settlement of the tragic human problem that we all long to see solved.”

Totally disregarding Mr. Plimpton’s reasoned approach, Emil Ghory, one-time secretary-general of the Arab Higher Committee, took the floor on behalf of what he calls the “Palestine Arab delegation.” Mr. Ghory, a colleague of the ex-Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who is a Hitler collaborator, denounced the American position and the Johnson report as “a plot to liquidate the Arab refugee problem” by mentioning resettlement, integration and compensation as possible alternatives to “repatriation.”

Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabian delegate Ahmad Shukairy delivered another lengthy anti-Israel diatribe and was answered briefly by Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative. Cutlining the main points of Israel’s current position, Ambassador Comay emphasized that the Arabs started the 1948 hostilities aimed at wiping out Israel and the Arab aggressions which created the refugee problem.

Thirty-two governments yesterday pledged $32,500,000 for the 1962 program of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees at a special pledging conference held here by the General Assembly. The UNRWA target for 1962 funds had been set at $40,000,000. Of the total pledged yesterday, the United States, which has been providing 70 percent of all UNR WA funds, pledged $24,700,000.