Palestine question – Arab and Jewish forces withdrawn from Jerusalem neutral zone – Press release

UNITED NATIONS

Department of Public Information

Press and Publications Bureau

Lake Success, New York

Press Release PAL/506

15 June 1949

BOTH ARAB AND JEWISH FORCES WITHDRAWN

FROM JERUSALEM NEUTRAL ZONE

(The following was received at UN Headquarters from the Press Officer

with the United Nations Acting Mediator's staff in Jerusalem.)

Both Arabs and Israelis have complied with the decision of the Mixed Armistice Commission for Israel and the Hashemite Jordan Kingdom and have accordingly removed their military forces and installations from the neutral Government House area in Jerusalem.

This action was taken yesterday (14 June) as the result of special meetings of the Mixed Armistice Commission held under the chairmanship of Brigadier William E. Riley, Chief of Staff of the United Nations Acting Mediator for Palestine.  At a meeting held on 13 June the Mixed Armistice Commission decided that the presence of the armed forces of both Israel and Jordan in the Government House area violated the Rhodes armistice agreement and that those forces must be withdrawn behind the Armistice lines as laid down at Rhodes.

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