The Israel Government emphasized today that the resolution adopted yesterday by the U.N. Special Political Committee placing Jerusalem under international trusteeship is “unrealistic and not implementable.” A spokesman for the government said:
“We, of course, regret the vote and we hope that the resolution will not secure the required two-thirds majority in the U.N. General Assembly when it comes up for a vote. It may be all very well for countries remote from Jerusalem to vote as they did yesterday. But those of us who are close to Jerusalem can see the utter lack of reality in the resolution. It is simply incapable of implementation.
“The United Nations will be letting itself in for an absolutely certain fiasco if the resolution is passed at the General Assembly. Not only is the scheme expressed in the resolution objectively unworkable, but it runs directly counter to the united will of the people of Jerusalem. No system of government can succeed which is not based on the consent of those governed. Jews of Jerusalem will tolerate no outside regime.
“Schemes, plans and programs can be devised and resolutions voted upon, but neither Jews nor Arabs can be forced to use law courts, post offices or any other governmental function which they do not recognize. Nor can the United Nations use force to prevent Jews in Jerusalem from paying taxes to the government they wish and do recognize. Should this resolution be passed by the Assembly, the only feature about it which is certain is that one year from today the General Assembly will once again have the problem of Jerusalem on its agenda,” the Israel Government spokesman pointed out.
ISRAEL CABINET MEETS ON JERUSALEM; SENDS INSTRUCTIONS TO U.N. DELEGATION
The Israel Cabinet today held a special meeting at which instructions were formulated for the Israel delegation at Lake Success with regard to the Jerusalem resolution expected to be voted on tomorrow at the General Assembly.
Premier David Ben Gurion today made an unexpected appearance at a meeting of the Legal Committee of the Knesset when the Committee started examining a motion introduced several days ago by Menachem Beigin, leader of the Herut Party, urging the proclamation of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Mr. Ben Gurion asked the Committee to postpone discussions on this motion for one week. His suggestion was accepted by all members of the Committee with the exception of the Herut representative.
Meanwhile it was announced today that recruiting offices for the Israel Army will be opened throughout the country beginning Sunday. Men and women, including discharged soldiers and individuals over 30–exempted from military service–may volunteer. It was stressed in the announcement this pay in the Army approximates that of other government workers, and that special facilities will be extended to the families of volunteers.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
