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Security Council Entrusts “big Powers” with Palestine Issue; Britain Refuses to Join

March 7, 1948
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The U.N. Security Council tonight adjourned its discussion on Palestine following the adoption of a joint American-Russian resolution intrusting the Permanent Members with the task of consulting on the Palestine situation “with a view of implementing the resolution of the General Assembly” on the partitioning of the country into Jewish and Arab states. The results of the consultations are to be reported to the Council within ten days.

The vote was eight in favor of the resolution, and none against it. The United Kingdom, Syria and Argentina abstained. The first meeting of the representatives of the Permanent Members will take place Monday Morning in the New York apartment of soviet delegate Andrei Gromyko. The British delegation announced t hat Britain will not participate in the consultations.

The Council defeated the Belgian amendment to the U.S. resolution which would have eliminated acceptance by the Security Council of the General Assembly’s partition request. It also defeated, by a vote of five to none, a U.S. provision to take note of the Assembly’s demand for implementation. The American provision for consultations with the U.N. Palestine Commission, the Mandatory Power, Arabs and Jews was also defeated. The British delegation abstained from voting throughout the paragraph-by-paragraph balloting.

By virtue of two Soviet votes the Council rejected the U.S. provision which would have made a distinction between implementing partition and taking measures to protect the peace. The text of the joint American-Russian resolution as adopted surges the Security Council:

“The call on the Permanent Members of the Security Council to consult and to inform the Security Council regarding the situation with respect to Palestine and to make as the result of such consultations recommendations to it regarding the guidance and instructions which the Council might usefully give to the Palestine Commission with a view of implementing the resolution of the General Assembly. The Security Council requests the Permanent Members to report to it on the results of their consultations within 10 days.”

The resolution appeals “to all governments and peoples, particularly in and around Palestine, to take all possible action to prevent or reduce such disorders as are now occurring in Palestine.”

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