UN Palestine Commission – UN Appeal for Children in Palestine – Letter from United Kingdom

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

Communication Received from the United Kingdom Delegation

with reference to United Nations Appeal for

Children in Palestine

The following communication, with reference to the launching of a United Nations Appeal for Children in Palestine, has been received from Mr. Trafford Smith of the United Kingdom Delegation.

UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Empire State Building

New York 1, N.Y.

My Dear Bunche,

I have just heard from London on the subject of the forthcoming United Nations Appeal for Children and the possibility of its being launched in Palestine.

The Colonial Office have been considering the arrangements to be made for the launching of the Appeal in the various dependencies, but have so far not approached the High Commissioner for Palestine as they consider it unlikely that, in present conditions there, he would be in a position to set up a committee to sponsor the Appeal.

I gather that the date of the Appeal has not yet been fixed, but that it may take place at any time between the 29th of February and May. If that is so, the period in question falls almost entirely within the remaining months during which His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom remain responsible for the administration of Palestine. Nevertheless, in view of the proposed provision of the Appeal under which a proportion of the funds collected would fail to be spent in the country of collection, His Majesty’s Government feel that the Commission should be notified of the line they have adopted in regard to the possible launching of the Appeal in Palestine.

Yours sincerely,

Trafford Smith (signed)

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche,

Principal Secretary to the United Nations Commission on Palestine,

United Nations,

Lake Success.