Palestine question – Arab ambulances given permit – Press release

UNITED NATIONS

Department of Public Information

Press and Publications Bureau

Lake Success, New York

Press Release PAL/327

6 October 1948

ARAB AMBULANCES PERMITTED TO CROSS

JEWISH POLITICAL AREA NEAR JERUSALEM

Arab ambulances in the Old City of Jerusalem will henceforth be permitted to transport the sick and wounded via the Jewish policed area of Mount Scopus to the Augusta Victoria Hospital, which is located in the Arab policed area of Mount Scopus.

This arrangement was concluded by a United Nations Senior observer in Jerusalem, Colonel George Millet, for humanitarian reasons when he learned that the life of several Arab patients had been jeopardized because ambulances had to use rocky, sharp graded tracks in order to avoid the Jewish policed area on the way to the Hospital

Under the agreement brought about by Col. Millet, Arab ambulances accompanied by United Nations observers will cross the Jewish policed part of Mount Scopus daily via a regular smooth road.

Pleading for this arrangement with Jewish authorities, Col. Millet declared on 5 October:  "Being humane is more important than waging war."

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