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?ab States Will Fight U.N. Decision on Palestine if Independence Ignored, Minister Says

May 23, 1947
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Fadhid, Jamali, Foreign Minister of Iraq, announced today that the Arab states would refuse to ahide by any United Nations decision on ?e future of Palestine except independence, even if backed by a majority of the U.N.

At a press conference prior to his return to Baghdad, Jamali, who was the raqui delegate to the special session of the U.N. on Palestine, reiterated previous statements that continuation of immigration to Palestine would lead to “nothing at bloodshed.” Asked about his predicted “declaration of war” made at the U.N., Jamali accused the press of misinterpreting his intention and said he stated that imposition of a Jewish state on us means a declaration of war on us and that of purse means resistance by us.”

Pressed to clarify his stand at the U.N. on his government’s reservation of its attitude toward the inquiry committee, Jamali evaded a direct answer, declaring that the future actions of the committee would determine whether the Arab States cooperate with or boycott the committee. Asked whether the Arabs would resist by force any solution distasteful to them, he replied, “that will be decided in time.”

The foreign minister attacked “many New York newspapers” for “perversion of facts” in reporting the U.N. session, asserting they presented the Zionist view ?oint to the exclusion or distortion of the Arab view. Some of the press, he elleged, is dominated by “certain economic and political interests.” He likewise ?iticized Sunday School teaching of the Bible in the United States as “superficial” and the interpretation of the Old Testament particularly as giving a distorted impression of the relation of the Jews to Palestine.

The solution advanced by Soviet delegate Cromyko for a democratic bi-national state of Palestine was unsatisfactory to Jamali, who insisted on an interpretation of “one state and one people.”

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