Palestinian question – Ad Hoc committee – Communications

AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION

Communications Received during the Period

16 September – 4 October 1947

NOTE: The communications listed below do not include communications which have been issued as documents.  Originals of all communications relating to Palestine may be Consulted in Room CA 046.  A weekly list of communications record will be issued each Tuesday.

A. COMMUNICATIONS REQUESTING HEARINGS BEFORE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE

1. Letter dated 5 September from Mr. Jacob Heller, who wishes to be invited to express the views of "unorganized, independent Orthodox Jews".

Note: Mr. Heller applied to give evidence before the Special Committee, but the Committee decided that it was unable to hear his testimony.  Mr. Heller, who describes himself as an Orthodox anti-Zionist Jew, addressed a long letter stating his views to the Special Committee on 1 June 1947.

B. COMMUNICATIONS SUBMITTING MEMORANDA

1. Letter dated 15 August from Mr. J. Ouziel, Tel-Aviv, enclosing thirty copies of his booklet on Palestine, "Aux hommes de bonne foi de toutes les nations", which was distributed to the members of the Special Committee on Palestine on 30 June 1947.  He asks that this booklet should be brought to the attention of the Ad Hoc Committee.

2. Letter dated 12 September from Dr. Jacob Robinson, New York, enclosing several copies of his book "Palestine and the United Nations: A Prelude to Solution" in which he surveys the Palestine issue as it has come before the United Nations from San Francisco up to and including the Special Session of the General Assembly.

3. Letter dated 27 September from the vice-President of the Union for the Protection of the Human Person, New York, enclosing a statement commenting on the Special Committee's majority recommendations, and suggesting certain boundary modifications.  Note: This organization submitted a memorandum dated 4 June 1947 to the Special Committee.

4. Letter dated 30 September from the President of the Nation Associates, New York, transmitting a memorandum entitled "Police State" Nazi Model.  Palestine Under British Rule", for submission to the Ad Hoc Committee.  Note: Two earlier memoranda were submitted by this organization to the Special Session and to the Special Committee.

C. COMMUNICATIONS REQUESTING ACTION OR

INTERVENTION BY THE UNITED NATIONS

1.  Cable dated 7 August from the Pro-Palestine Committee, Rio de Janeiro, protesting against British treatment of the "Exodus" refugees and urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter.

2. Cable dated 8 August from the Association Union Hebrea Chevet Ahim, Havana, protesting against British treatment of the "Exodus" refugees and urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter.

3. Cable dated 9 August from the Association Union Hebrea Chevet Ahim, Havana, protesting against British treatment of the "Exodus" refugees and urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter.

4. Cable dated 9 August from the Jewish Center, Havana, urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter of the treatment of the "Exodus" refugees.

5. Letter dated 14 August from the Central Camp Committee, Caraolos Camps, Cyprus, appealing to the United Nations to promote a solution of the problem of the inmates of the Cyprus Camps.

6. Cable dated 15 August from the Zionist Youth Federation, Mexico City, protesting against British treatment of the "Exodus" refugees and urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter.

7. Letter dated 18 August from representatives of the Jewish community in the Dominican Republic, Ciudad Trujillo, protesting against British treatment of the "Exodus" refugees and urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter.

8. Cable dated 21 august from the Zionist Federation of Chile, Santiago, protesting against British treatment of the "Exodus" refugees and urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter.

9. Cable dated 22 August from the American Jewish labor Council, Philadelphia, condemning British treatment of Jews in Palestine and of Jewish refugees and urging that the Palestinian question be placed on the agenda of the Security Council.

10. Cable dated 22 August from the Jewish legion, London, urging that the United Nations intervene on behalf of the "Exodus" refugees.

11. Cable dated 22 August from the President of the Vaad Leumi, Jerusalem, urging that the United Nations intervene on behalf of the "Exodus" refugees.

12. Cable dated 23 August from a group of American Jewish veterans in the Philippines, Manila, calling for immediate United Nations action to halt British "terror and oppression" in Palestine.

13. Cable dated 25 August from the Committee for the Defense of Arab Rights, Valparaiso, urging the United Nations to respect the rights of self-determination of the Palestinian Arabs.

14. Cable dated 25 August from the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, Jerusalem, condemning British action in regard to the "Exodus" refugees and urging that the United Nations intervene in the matter.

15. Cable dated 28 August from the Camp Committee, Camp Wegscheid, Linz, Austria, appealing to the United Nations to take action on behalf of the "Exodus" refugees.

16. Cable dated 29 August from representatives of Jewish communities in Eire, Dublin, appealing to the United Nations to take action on behalf of the "Exodus" refugees.

17. Cable dated 1 September from representatives of the Jewish community in shanghai, calling for international action on behalf of the "Exodus" refugees.

18. Letter dated 3 September from the Secretary-General of the First Inter-American Congress of women, enclosing a resolution adopted by the congress urging the United Nations to hasten the solution of the Palestine problem, to close the displaced persons camps in Europe and Cyprus, and to grant displaced person the right to choose the countries to which they wish to emigrate.

19. Letter dated 6 September from the President of the International Alliance of Women, London, enclosing a resolution deploring the plight of Jewish refugees detained in concentration camps.  The letter urges the United Nations to take action on this problem in connection with their study of the Palestinian question.

20. Letter dated 6 September from the Central Committee of Liberated Jews in the American Occupied Zone in Germany, Munich, appealing to the United Nations to promote the immigration into Palestine of Jewish displaced persons, and specifically of the 4500 Jews of the "Exodus".

21. Cable dated 8 September from the Federation of University Students of Cuba, Havana, calling for the intervention of the United Nations on behalf of the "Exodus" refugees.

22. Letter dated 12 September from Mr. Hans Grunbaum, Ramat Hadar, Palestine, requesting the aid of the United Nations to enable him to emigrate from Palestine to Germany, where he formerly resided.  He has been informed by the Palestine Government that the allied authorities have not yet given permission for Jews to return to Germany.

23. Cable dated 13 September from the Ligue juive contre le sionsime, Cairo, demanding international action on behalf of the "Exodus" refugees.

24. Letter dated 14 September from the Chairman of the National Democratic Party, Baghdad, enclosing a resolution protesting against the majority and minority recommendations of the Special committee on Palestine.

25. Letter dated 15 September from the President of the All-World Hebrew Central Organization, urging that a territory in Africa be placed at the disposal of the Jews, under United Nations trusteeship.  The letter states that a representative of the organization, Mr. J. Kaufman, has been sent to New York to present its proposals to the General Assembly.

26. Two cables dated 15 September from the Arabic Union Club, Santiago, Cuba, protesting against the suggested partition scheme and demanding the establishment of an independent Arab States.

27. Cable dated 15 September from the Palestine Arab Youth Organization in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, appealing to the United Nations to reject the partition scheme and establish an independent Arab State in Palestine.

28. Letter dated 17 September from a group of 600 citizens of City Terrace, Los Angeles, submitting a resolution urging support of the majority recommendations of the Special Committee, condemning British action in Palestine and calling for United Nations administration of the country during the interim period.

29. Letter dated 17 September from Local 475, United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers of America, CIO, Brooklyn, New York, condemning British action in Palestine and urging the abolition of the mandate, the withdrawal of British troops and the establishment of a United Nations trusteeship for Palestine.

30. Letter dated 18 September fro the President of the New England Zionist Region, Zionist Organization of America, condemning British action in regard to Jewish displaced persons and calling on the United Nations to inform the British government officially of "the spirit and significance of the UNSCOP report" and of the necessity for substantial Jewish immigration into Palestine pending a final decision by the United nations.

31. Letter dated 20 September from the Central Committee of the National Liberation league, Haifa, requesting that the Ad Hoc Committee's attention be brought to a statement by the League condemning the majority recommendations of the Special Committee and declaring that the form of independence outlined in the minority recommendations should be decided by the people of Palestine, not imposed on them.  A memorandum issued by the League on "The Palestine Problem" and dated August 1947, has also been received, for presentation to the United Nations.

32. Letter dated 25 September from the President of the Albert C. Ritchie Civic Club, Baltimore, enclosing a resolution condemning British action in regard to Jewish immigration into Palestine and specifically the "Exodus" incident, calling for an international boycott of British goods and services, and urging the United Nations to remove British troops from Palestine and to facilitate prompt immigration of Jewish displaced persons into that country.

33. Letter dated 25 September from the Board of aldermen, Chelsea, Massachusetts, urging the implementation of the majority recommendations of the special committee on Palestine.

34. Letter dated 28 September from the co-ordinating Chairman of "Action for Palestine", Los Angeles, transmitting a resolution adopted by a meeting of 18,500 citizens including the representatives of four hundred local civic, religious and labour organizations.  The resolution supports the majority recommendations of the Special committee, calls for the removal of British civil and military authority from Palestine, the establishment of a United Nations trusteeship during the interim period, and full recognition of the aspirations of the Jewish people.

35. Cable dated 25 September from a group of non-Zionist professional men in Philadelphia, calling for a an inquiry into the legality of the severance of Trans-Jordan from Palestine and of its establishment as an independent state, and urging that Trans-Jordan should be regarded as an integral part of Palestine and as such opened to Jewish immigration.  The cable refers to the memoranda on this subject submitted to the Special Committee on Palestine by Mr. Zalmon Berul of New York.

36. Letter dated 26 September from the Grand Master of the Independent Order, British Abraham, United States Grand Lodge, asking that the General Assembly's attention be brought to a resolution urging adoption of the majority recommendations of the Special Committee.

38. Cable dated 3 October from the Arab Higher Committee, Jerusalem, affirming that the Palestine Arabs who declared a general strike that day as a protest against the Special Committee's report will oppose any solution of the Palestine problem entailing partition.  The cable demands the termination of the mandate, the withdrawal of the British Government and troops and the declaration of Palestine as an independent Arab State, and appeals for the application of the Charter to the Palestine case.

D. OTHER COMMUNICATIONS

1. Cable dated 3 September from Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt, Cairo, voicing opposition to the Special committee's report and declaring that any aggression against Palestine will be resisted.

2. Cable dated 4 September from the Vice-President of the Iraqi chamber of Deputies, Baghdad, calling for the rejection by the General Assembly of the Special Committee's report.

3. Letter dated 5 September from the Chairman of the Jewish Legion, London, informing the Secretary-General that in view of the Special Committee's report they have renewed their offer (made originally in March 1947) to the United Kingdom Government, to help in the recruitment of a volunteer force of Jewish ex-servicemen to replace British troops in Palestine.

4. Cable dated 6 September from Arab Catholic Union, Jerusalem, protesting against the Special Committee's recommendations and urging the conservation of the unity of the Holy Land and the establishment of a Democratic Arab Government.

5. Cable dated 8 September from the Arab Welfare Association, Batavia, protesting on behalf of 100,000 Arabs resident in Indonesia against the Special Committee's majority recommendations.

7. Cable date 9 September from the Arab Union Society, Haifa, declaring that any solution of the Palestine problem contrary to justice and in denial of Arab rights will meet with strong resistance.

8. Twelve cablegrams, dated 13 September to 1 October, from Arab colonies in Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, protesting against the suggested partition of Palestine and supporting the views put before the General Assembly by the representatives of Arab States.

9. Cable dated 14 September from the Egyptian National Bar Council, Cairo, protesting against the Special Committee's majority recommendations and expressing confidence in the justice of the General Assembly's decision.

10. Cable dated 15 September from the Arab Episcopal Evangelical Church Council for Palestine and Trans-Jordan, Haifa, condemning the Special Committee's report as a deathblow to Christendom in Holy Land, and expressing support of the attitude of the Arab Higher Committee.

11. Cable dated 15 September from the Syrian-Lebanese Association, Guantanamo, Cuba, protesting against the suggested partition of Palestine.

12. Cable dated 15 September from the Lebanese Union, Santa Clara, Cuba, protesting against the suggested partition of Palestine.

13. Two cables dated 15 September from the Lebanese Youth association, Holguin, Cuba, protesting against the suggested partition of Palestine.

14. Cable dated 15 September from the Moslem Brotherhood, Cairo, condemning the Special Committee's report and affirming determination to resist partition.

15. Cable dated 15 September from the Arab Union Society, Managua, Nicaragua, protesting against the suggested partition of Palestine.

16. Cable dated 15 September from  World General Centre of Young Men's Moslem Associations, Cairo, condemning the Special Committee's majority recommendations.

17. Five cables dated 16-18 September from the Administration Bureaux of Moslem Brotherhoods in Alexandria, Benha, Beni Suej, Fayoum and Mansoura, Egypt, condemning the Special Committee's report and expressing their solidarity with the Palestinian Arabs.

18. Cable dated 16 September from the Pan-Arabic Committee of Cuba, Havan, urging that Palestine should not be partitioned.

19. Cable dated 17 September from the Society for the Liberation of North Africa, Beirut, expressing hope that the General Assembly will reject the special Committee's report and affirming that peace can only be maintained in the Near East if Palestine becomes an independent Arab State.

20. Cable dated 17 September from the Syrian-Lebanese Radicals, San Rafael, Argentina, affirming support for the attitude of the delegations of the Arab States, in regard to Palestine.

21. Cable dated 18 September from the Congress of Arab Bar Associations, Beirut, calling for an independent Arab State in Palestine and for prohibition of Zionist immigration.

22. Cable dated 20 September from the chairman of the Jewish Legion, London, voicing opposition to any partition of Palestine, calling for establishment of a Hebrew State in the whole of Palestine and reiterating their offer to recruit Jewish troops to replace British troops. (see 3. above).

23.  Cable dated 24 September from the Democratic Women's Organization, Sao Paulo, expressing the hope that a Jewish national home will be firmly established in Palestine.

24. One hundred and thirty-one miscellaneous cables, letters and post cards from individuals, commenting on the Special Committee's report, offering solutions to the Palestine problem and setting forth viewpoint thereon.

—–