UN Palestine Commission – Officials of Palestine Administration – Communications received Secretariat Advance Party

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UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

Communication Received from Advance Party

Concerning Replies from officials of Palestine Administration

with respect to continuing employment after the termination

of the Mandate.

The attached Progress Report No 1 by Mr. C. Stavropoulos was received in Air Pouch NO. 4 and 5 on 12 April 1948.

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UNITED NATIONS ADVANCE PARTY

REPLIES FROM OFFICIALS OF PALESTINE ADMINISTRATION
 WITH RESPECT TO CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT AFTER THE TERMINATION OF THE MANDATE.

(Progress Report No 1 by C. Stavropoulos)

The following replies have been received to date by the Advance Party from officials of the Palestine Government with respect to continued employment after the termination off the Mandate. The replies are classified below by Departments.

I. SECRETARIAT

Several appended to the official form the following declaration:-

“I have noted the contents of the Chief Secretary’s general circular No. 8 of 2 March 1948 and the United Nations Palestine Commission’s communication contained therein and hereby state that I am willing to serve under the successor authorities of Palestine on the same terms and with the same rights as enjoyed by me under the Mandatory Government. Should my services prove to be of a temporary nature, I reserve any right to claim all benefits to which officers not employed by the successor authorities are entitled.”

II. CIVIL AVIATION

Eight employees all Jewish, have expressed their wish to continue in the Service. One of them expressed a wish to be employed by the Jewish State or the Joint Economic Board.

Nine Arabs expressed their wish not to continue and have appended to the official form the following declaration:-

“I do not wish to be re-employed by the United Nations Palestine Commission or any authority or state under the partition scheme for the following reasons:-

“A”- The Commission is not a scheduled Government within the meaning of the Palestine Pensions Ordinance,

“B” – There has been no definite offer of appointment and there is no security of tenure of office, the British Mandate having ended my service as at 15 May 1948,

“C” – As an Arab I am not prepared to co-operate with the said Commission as I genuinely believe that it is not constitutional, it conflicts with the National Covenant of the Palestine Arabs and does satisfy their national aspiration.”

III. CUSTODIAN OF ENEMY PROPERTY

Thirty-three expressed a wish to remain in service, classified as follows by race or nationality:-

Among them are the Custodian, the Assistant-Custodian and the Chief Clerk. One of them expressed a wish to be employed by the Joint Economic Board aid two of them either by the City of Jerusalem or the Joint Economic Board.

IV. PRESS CENSORSHIP

Twenty-three Jewish employees, among them the Assistant Press Censor of Jerusalem and the Assistant Censor of Tel Aviv have expressed their willingness to remain in the Service.

V. ROAD TRANSPORT

Eight Jewish employees have expressed their willingness to continue in the service of the successor Jewish State or the City of Jerusalem or the Joint Economic Board.

2 APRIL 1948